IBERIA PARISH — The power of buying local goes way beyond your weekend farmers' markets. This week, KATC spoke with scientists in New Iberia, and fishing experts in Delcambre, to learn about the teamwork required to have a thriving economy.
"Industries change over time, like anywhere you are, and so we're just adapting to the new realities of the seafood supply chain."
LSU's Seafood Processing Demonstration Lab is a hub for research and innovation. "Our main focus is in underutilized species and byproduct recovery," said
As the only facility of its kind in-state, this Louisiana Sea Grant-sponsored program works with local processors, restaurateurs, and fishermen, to build local connections.
"Louisiana is the #2 seafood state in the nation," said co-director Thomas Hymel, "but a lot of our product is uh--we're not getting the full value out of it."
Because of this, Hymel said much of Louisiana's profit is being lost.
"We're selling, essentially, container-loads of shrimp, crab, oysters that just go outta state for the processing. So what we're doing here is working on different ideas to get more value out of our seafood to help our seafood industry."
One Delcambre resident feeling the impact of the industry is Nancy Marie.
"I've worked in the shrimp shops, that's all I ever did with my life. [I'm] trying to find me another job. I put in an application but they ain't called me yet."
"Why are you looking for another job?"
"Cause they closed the one I was working at."
Hymel said the best way to help (if you can't make it down to the docks) is by looking for farm-to-table logos on all your seafood items.
"The fact that you're eating local product where it's your state, it's your region that it comes from...And these local folks that we engage [with]—these fishermen, these processors, these distributors that are all local—it's a blessing that we have this resource to work with."
