Fisheries Impacts of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

Fisheries Impacts of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita Rex Caffey, Associate ProfessorLSU AgCenter & LA Sea Grant

Shrimp

Shrimp • Fleet disruption (sunk, destroyed, damaged, displaced) • Southeast: 65-85% • South Central: 10-15% • Southwest: 60-80% • Habitat damage – 100 square miles of coastal marsh? • Very strong post-storm catches from remnant fleet • Slight decrease in dock prices, 30% increase in fuel costs • Dockside revenue losses of $90.4 million

42% Reduction Shrimp: La Gear Licenses

Processed Value Billions ($) Import Quantity Millions (lbs) Shrimp: U.S. Value & Imports Source: Diop, H. 2004

Crabs

Crabs • Mobile industry, low barriers to entry • Very strong catches after the storms – lag effect? • Decreasing dock prices, increasing in fuel costs • Dockside revenue losses of $18.7 million

Crabs: LA Resident Licenses Source: LDWF 2004

Oysters

Oysters • Estimated mortality from silt deposition • Southeast: 50-70% • South Central: 20-30% • Southwest: 30-40% • Precautionary closures, areas reopened as of 11/05 • Sustained price increase due to Chesapeake? • Louisiana Oyster Recovery Plan • Dockside revenue losses of $27.5 million

Oysters – LA Resident Licenses Source: LDWF 2004

Crawfish

Crawfish • Some saltwater damage in southernmost range of production: Lower Vermilion, Iberia, St. Martin. • Semi-drought conditions pre-Katrina and post-Rita • 30% increase in fuel costs Sept- Nov. • Poor recruitment in fall sampling – short, late season • Loss of in-state markets could be big issue • Production revenue losses of $38 million

Imports Millions (lbs Meat) Domestic ProductionMillions (lbs Live) Crawfish - LA Production & Imports Source: NMFS 2003

Finfish

Finfish • Commercial losses: • Menhaden: $25.2 million over coming year • Other finfish: $14.7 million over coming year • Capacity reduction for federally-permitted species • Limited entry? • Individual Transferable Quota (ITQ)? • Vessel buy-out programs? • Charter boat industry heavily impacted • $27 million in lost revenue over coming year

Finfish: LicensedCharter Guides Source: LDWF 2004 Number of Guides

Fisheries Infrastructure

Fisheries Infrastructure • Vessels missing, damaged, in need of salvage Commercial: 1,800 – 3,500 Recreational: 30,000 – 40,000 • Tremendous damage to fisheries infrastructure: docks, ice houses, processing, storage, markets • Prices constrained by lack of cold-storage capacity • Unknown damage to 110 seafood processors • Temporary/permanent loss of domestic retail outlets • Seafood markets and dealers • Of 3,500 New Orleans restaurants, 74% remain unopened as of 11/30 (La Restaurant Assoc.)

Prospects for Fisheries Recovery • Despite habitat damages, stocks will recover in short-term • Fishermen less resilient, will require assistance • Federal Fisheries Disaster Declaration • Emergency loans, state and federal grants, trade relief • Capacity reduction : market-based and program-based • 1-year economic impact for commercial and recreational • Dockside revenue loss: $203.7 million • Dockside plus retail losses $406 - $508 million • Infrastructure losses still unknown, likely to be major $ • Strong recovery expected for recreational charter sector • Continued decline expected in commercial shrimp sector

Hurricane Recovery Resources www.lsuagcenter.com www.laseagrant.org

Fisheries Impacts of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita