Fisheries Impacts of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

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

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Shrimp La Gear Licenses
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Shrimp U.S. Value Imports
Source Diop, H. 2004
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Crabs
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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

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Crabs LA Resident Licenses
Source LDWF 2004
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Oysters
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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

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Oysters LA Resident Licenses
Source LDWF 2004
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Crawfish
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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

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Crawfish - LA Production Imports
Source NMFS 2003
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Finfish
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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

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Finfish Licensed Charter Guides
Source LDWF 2004
Number of Guides
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Fisheries Infrastructure
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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.)

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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

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