Crawfish season off to slow start

The extended winter chill has caused the crawfish season to begin with low harvests. Louisiana Crawfish Farmers Association Director Stephen Minvielle says his 1,100 traps brought in 261 pounds last week and 258 the week before. That compares to 900 pounds a day at this time last year. Minvielle says ponds throughout the 26 crawfish-producing parishes have also had small harvests. But he says that’s just a cycle. Crawfish get less active in the cold, so they’re less likely to be attracted by bait in traps. Minvielle says some crawfish farmers who also grow rice have been draining their fields for planting because rice prices are up.