Heavy rains good for farming crawfish, to a point

There has been more rain in south Louisiana in the past four to six months than there was during the same period in the previous two years, says Tony’s Seafood co-owner Bill Pizzolato, and that bodes well for the upcoming crawfish season. “We’re anticipating a really good year in the ponds,” says Pizzolato, noting that the rain keeps ponds full of fresh water. Supplied by farmers, Tony’s Seafood typically offers crawfish for sale this time of year, Pizzolato says. Wild crawfish usually become available later in the spring, when rains flood the Atchafalaya Basin. “And that’s when prices get really ripe,” he says. While heavy rain such as that seen in recent days can be good for crawfish, LSU AgCenter crawfish researcher Ray McClain says, flooding can dampen crawfish production due to overtopped levees—inviting predatory fish—and submerged vegetation. McClain says additional heavy rainfall in the coming weeks could eventually lead to such flooding and damage the crawfish crop. Increased rain this past summer and fall improved survival rates for burrowing crawfish, indicating a better brood hatch, McClain says. Crawfish supply typically peaks in mid-April to mid-May, when farm productions peak at the same time wild catches begin, McClain says. “Last year we were not as dry as the previous year during the hot summer months, and this usually means more young crawfish emerge with the opportunity to reach market size,” McClain says. —Adam Pearson