Gulf Coast shrimpers have seen their profits go from jumbo to tiny over the past four decades

A shrimper weighs his catch in Buras, Louisiana. He now makes about $3 less per pound (adjusted for inflation) than he made in the mid 1980s. (Civil Eats photo)

As the U.S. shrimping industry limps along, shrimping advocates are asking for government controls and consumer support to help change their fortunes.

"Shrimpers along the Gulf Coast have struggled to compete with cheaper imported shrimp. . . and dealt with rising fuel costs," report Jake Price and Olivia Shaffett of Civil Eats. "In the 1980s, shrimpers could sell a pound of shrimp for about $4.50 (adjusted for inflation). In recent years, they have been lucky to get $1.50."

Industry experts say Louisiana shrimping's survival depends on the U.S. government establishing guardrails, "whether [through] quotas, import caps, or higher tariffs to curtail the high volume of imported shrimp," Price and Shaffett write. Consumer education on how to spot U.S. shrimp can also help the industry.

Rocky Ditcharo, a seafood wholesaler in Buras, Louisiana, believes government intervention is needed. He told Civil Eats, "If we can’t cap imports, if there is no solution. . . .Then this industry dies in 20 years."

Ditcharo also sees smart consumerism as an equally important piece. "Consumers should inspect the back of the pack to find the country of origin, method of production, and manufacturer," Price and Shaffett explain. "Descriptions such as 'wild-caught,' 'wild,' and 'Atlantic' usually indicate that the shrimp is a product of the U.S."

Eating imported shrimp means the Food and Drug Administration doesn't have authority over product testing before it lands on U.S. shelves. Earlier this week, the FDA issued an urgent recall for Indonesian shrimp sold at Walmart that could be radioactive. "Certain Great Value raw frozen shrimp products sold at Walmart are being recalled due to possible contamination with Cesium-137, a radioactive isotope," reports Erin Keller of the Independent. The shrimp recall details are here.

Beginning in August, the Trump administration "increased tariffs on top shrimp importers, including Vietnam (20%) and Indonesia (19%) . . . India, which accounts for roughly one-third of all shrimp imports in the U.S., faces the highest tariffs of 50%," Price and Shaffet add.