Seafood industry to get storm aid

The Tri-parish seafood industry, which received a blow from hurricanes Gustav and Ike in September, could soon see some relief.

The federal government is making available to Louisiana up to $40 million to help restore the state’s fisheries habitats and infrastructure, the National Marine Fisheries Service announced last week.

The state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries has to prepare a spending plan to submit to the agency, said Robin Winchell, spokeswoman for U.S. Rep. Charlie Melancon (D-Napoleonville).

The money can be used to remove debris hampering the seafood industry, help oyster reefs to recover and reconstruct seafood processing plants, ice houses and docks damaged by the hurricanes, Winchell said.

“This has been a long time coming,” she said. “In south Louisiana for fishermen, oystermen and shrimpers, it has not stopped since Katrina.”

“This is essential to getting the industry back,” she said. “We hear all the time from fishermen.”

Winchell said the federal government has previously sent money to the seafood industry for storm damages, but this allocation is only for Gustav and Ike.

Money is also being made available to the Texas fisheries industry for Hurricane Ike and to other areas receiving damage.

A total of $74 million has been allocated for hurricane recovery.

The National Marine Fisheries Service would like both Texas and Louisiana to submit a joint plan.

“In the past, Louisiana has been shortchanged,” Winchell said. “This time, we got half, but it’s up to the state to allocate it.”

Monica Allen, public affairs officer with the fisheries service, also pointed out that Louisiana was allotted the largest amount of money.

“We’re pleased that the state wanted to use the money to remove storm debris that’s been hampering the shrimp industry, build infrastructure, fund habitat restoration and prevent disasters in the future,” she said. “The largest amount of disaster money went to Louisiana.”

George Terrebonne, owner of the wholesale seafood buyer The Seafood Shed in Golden Meadow, said he was forced to shutter his Seafood Shed location in Leeville because of the hurricanes.

“The damage after Gustav and Ike was not real bad,” he said, “but right after the hurricanes (the waterway) was full of trash and lost nets.”

After hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, Terrebonne said, lower fuel prices helped the seafood industry to recover. Many shrimpers and fishermen left the industry when fuel prices increased, Terrebonne said.

After the 2008 hurricanes, “the fishermen ain’t going back,” he said.

“With fuel (prices) low, they want to go back, but you can’t depend on it. Shrimp prices are low,” Terrebonne added.

The National Marine Fisheries Service also stated that the money should be used to review the economic and social effects of the storm damage.

The agency, part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, manages and conserves marine life up to 200 miles off the U.S. coast.