Is This The Last Generation of Louisiana Shrimpers?
December 29, 2023 | 1 min to read
On the last day of the shrimping season, Larry Alexie arrived at the Bundy’s Seafood dock in Lafitte with 12,000 pounds of shrimp. While the haul was significant, low dockside prices have left shrimpers struggling to make a living amidst a season of abundance, as they grapple with overwhelming demand for preparation. Nearby, pelicans were drawn by the enticing scent, reflecting the ongoing challenges in the shrimping industry.
On the last day of the shrimping season, the Billie Joe puttered into the Bundy’s Seafood dock in Lafitte and off stepped Larry Alexie wearing a camouflage jacket and waders.
The lifelong shrimper watched closely as the dividends of his three days on the water were vacuumed onto a conveyor belt, weighed and sorted into bins with ice. A handful of hopeful pelicans, drawn to the pungent smell of 12,000 pounds of shrimp, floated nearby.
Despite a season so bountiful producers have had a hard time keeping up with cleaning and peeling, rock-bottom dockside prices have made it difficult for shrimpers to make ends meet.
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