Bonnet Carre’ Spillway opening could boost wild crop
“Beautiful” was how Erik Donnaud described this year’s larger crawfish crop that started appearing on dinner tables as early as Christmas because of early warm weather.
“The catch is the highest it’s been since we’ve been open,” Donnaud said of the crawfish coming through the dock that he and his brother own in New Iberia. The location is where they buy and supply crawfish to the Seafood Pot restaurant, which has been open 11 years in Destrehan. Some 15 to 20 sacks are coming to the restaurant a day, a healthy increase over last year.
“They’re looking really nice,” Donnaud said.
Earlier than usual warm weather made the mudbugs available as early November.
The early season is certainly timely considering another early event that boosts demand – Mardi Gras on Feb. 9. Crawfish are considered a staple for the celebration with strongest selling months typically being February to late May.
Sales are brisk, too.
Donnaud said they sold 45 sacks of crawfish on Jan. 9, a number he couldn’t typically move until well into the season last year. It’s also a number twice as high as he sold at the same time last year, which he said is due to the lower price combined with plentiful supply.
Sales are expected to reach 20 to 30 sacks a day for the Super Bowl, also typically a big day for boiled crawfish, he said.
While crawfish size is varying per areas, Donnaud also said they are larger than they were at this time last year.
“Overall, the size is good this year so far,” he said.As Louisiana’s Mardi Gras celebration kicks up so are crawfish sales, which he said are significantly increasing at the seafood restaurant.
“People are going to parades and thinking about crawfish,” Donnaud said.
Averaging $3 a pound, instead of last year’s $5, the Seafood Pot manager said these are market conditions that have also promoted selling all the crawfish he can get at the restaurant.
As for wild crawfish in the Bonnet Carre’ Spillway, he said last Sunday’s opening should bring the added water to boost catches there. The added water should also provide more places to catch them. Wild crawfish typically doesn’t become available until late March.
Willie Herbert, owner of Hebert’s Seafood in Boutte, agreed crawfish prices are good at an average $2.99 a pound, but would be stronger at $1.99 a pound.
“We’re expecting a bumper crop, but that could change with a couple of cold fronts that could turn it around because it stuns them,” Hebert said.
By December, they were larger in early catches, but more recently getting smaller with more fishing, he said. Cold fronts also got them smaller, but they’re still a nice size for this time of year because of warmer weather.
Hebert, like Donnaud, also anticipates better sales with the Super Bowl on Feb. 7.
According to Donnaud, “They’re more plentiful right now than normally at this time of year. Hopefully, no super cold fronts are coming our way, but I don’t see that happening. All signs point to a great season.”
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