Jan 5, 2024 - Food and Drink

Louisiana crawfish shortage blamed on drought and extreme heat

Carlie Kollath Wells

Photo shows crawfish being scooped out of a boil — Spring crawfish boils are right around the corner. Photo: Erika Goldring/WireImage for The Recording Academy

Crawfish producers say there's a shortage in Louisiana, placing blame on last year's record heat and extreme drought, according to Meg Farris at WWL.

Why it matters: It's not spring in New Orleans until you've pinched the tails, sucked the heads and washed everything down with an Abita Strawberry.

Driving the news: Seafood shops tell Farris that crawfish may arrive in the coming weeks, but they are going to be smaller and expensive.

By the numbers: Live crawfish could be more than $7 per pound early in the season, Farris writes.

For comparison, live crawfish were $3.88 per pound in January 2022, according to KLFY.

Meanwhile, vendors in Texas are also reporting a crawfish shortage that's leading to higher prices.

State of play: 2023 was one of the New Orleans' driest years in nearly eight decades, according to the National Weather Service.

Louisiana also had its hottest summer on record, and several cities, including New Orleans, broke their daily heat records.

Zoom in: 99% of Louisiana remains in a drought, according to the weekly U.S. Drought Monitor. A year ago, it was less than 6%.

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Louisiana crawfish shortage blamed on drought and extreme heat

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