January 30, 2014 — People planning Super Bowl crawfish boils may be out of luck. Farmers say cold has kept crawfish scarce all winter, and now many ponds are iced over.
The prolonged cold also means crawfish aren't eating and are likely to be smaller than normal at the peak of crawfish season, said farmer David Savoy of Church Point.
People may have to order ahead even at the peak of the season, said Craig Lutz, an LSU AgCenter professor and aquaculture specialist.
"I think it's fair to say that when we get to Mardi Gras and we get to Easter, we're definitely going to be behind what we would be in a normal season. There'll still be crawfish available. But I think people are going to have to plan a lot better to make sure they have crawfish on those weekends when they want them," he said Wednesday.
AgCenter aquaculture and crawfish specialist Mark Shirley was optimistic about the spring and summer harvest but said the supply is going to be short for Super Bowl, a weekend when there's high demand.
Savoy, who has farmed crawfish for 40 years, said it's the slowest start he's ever seen to the season. He said he's never seen such a run of mornings below 35 degrees and afternoons less than 70 degrees.
Read the full story from the Associated Press at the New Orleans Times-Picayune