[StBernard] Freezing water brings smaller crawfish harvest

[Westley Annis]

Freezing water brings smaller crawfish harvest
Organizers host annual Crawfish Festival in Chalmette

Published  3:21 PM CDT Mar 23, 2014

CHALMETTE, La. -Crawfish farmers are blaming Mother Nature for a smaller
harvest in 2014.

 "The cold doesn't kill the crawfish," said Robert Casanova of Casanova
Seafood. "Being cold-blooded, they simply don't move around much."

Cassanova has been buying and selling crawfish for 20 years. He said he knew
what to expect when freezing temperatures caused local ponds to ice over
during the winter.

"(The weather) delays them, slows them down, slows their growth," he said.
"Their metabolism is so slow (that) they don't move and go in to the traps."

With warmer weather, crawfish farmers are catching more mudbugs. Supply is
expected to exceed the demand, which means prices could drop.

At the 39th annual Crawfish Festival in Chalmette, 30,000 pounds of boiled
crawfish and crawfish dishes took the spotlight.

Organizer Cisco Gonzales said the festival, which offers live music, food,
fun and games, gives back to the community.

"Eighty percent of the proceeds goes to charity," Gonzales said. "Children's
Hospital, American Cancer Society, all the local schools in St. Bernard
Parish."

Meanwhile, crawfish farmers are closely watching the crustacean.

"They're growing fast," Casanova said. "We should have a nice size crawfish.
They'll catch up quickly."

Organizers are hosting the Crawfish Festival at the Sigur Cultural Center on
West Judge Perez Drive in Chalmette. Admission costs $5.



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