Louisiana Shrimpers want lobbyist to help voice their concerns in Washington
BATON ROUGE, La. (KLFY) - The Louisiana Shrimp Association is fighting back against imported shrimp and their goal is to save their livelihood.
They want their voices to be heard in Washington D.C. and in Baton Rouge.
President of the L.S.A., Acy Cooper, said they have had a lot of issues in the industry. "The prices went from four dollars a pound down to a dollar twenty. It is getting dyer need. We have been screaming and hollering. This task force has been together since two thousand and ten. We can't get anybody in Washington to do the job that we need."
The shrimping industry is worth billions of dollars to the Louisiana economy, and shrimpers along the coast catch millions of pounds of shrimp every year.
Now that shrimp is being imported, it's driving the price down, which is forcing many shrimpers to dock their boats.
President of the shrimp association, Acy Cooper, said this could impact many coastal towns who rely on commercial shrimping for a living.
"The industry is going to fall," Cooper said. "We are talking about rural communities that is going to lose out on this. Why would anybody want to live in these areas if it was not for the fishing industry. So you are talking about rural communities that is going to be just left out in the cold. It is going to be over with, the heritage, the culture."
Cooper's proposal of a lobbyist representing the association can help keep the focus on the failing industry since lawmakers have ignored their voices and concerns
Cooper said, "We cant continue talking on deaf ears. We need somebody up there 24/7 to speak for us and talk to the right people. We talk to our delegation up there but that is not all the right people. The administration, the Biden administration, here in the state the governor and wildlife and fisheries does do a lot for us but you know the voice still needs to be there."
Acy Cooper and the rest of the shrimping association believe that bringing in a lobbyist will help the industry have representation for years, and it can finally be protected and thrive again.