State officials have released a preview of a program that could eventually lead to the identification, branding and marketing of Louisiana certified wild-caught shrimp. As proposed, it’s a four-phase, voluntary program that would essentially certify the authenticity of Louisiana shrimp through the efforts of harvesters and processors. Ewell Smith, executive director of the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board, one of the groups overseeing the development of the program, says that major seafood buyers nationwide have become increasingly interested in certified quality-control products. In this case, quality control means that every stop a wild-caught shrimp makes from being pulled out the water to being placed on the consumer’s plate would be accounted for in great detail.
While several state agencies have been working on such a program for years, the recently-created Louisiana Shrimp Task Force has helped fast-track the effort and its members first saw the draft plan last week. Supporters hope the program will not only help broaden the discussion on Louisiana shrimp, but also create new marketing strategies for fishermen and processors. For the full version of this story, click here.—Jeremy Alford
