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CROWLEY — It’s a few months early for most people in Louisiana to have crawfish on their minds. But the cycle of producing crawfish for those eagerly anticipated springtime boils is already underway — and this summer’s drought conditions could have an impact.
Three key problems are facing Louisiana’s $230 million crawfish industry as the state copes with the effects of a weekslong streak of record-high temperatures and minimal rainfall.
First, some of the underground burrows where crawfish spend the summer are cracking open because the ground is so dry, threatening their survival. Second, the lack of rain has increased the salt levels in water sources that producers depend on to flood their ponds. And third, there are concerns about rice, grasses and other forages surviving the hot, dry conditions and whether crawfish will have enough food this winter.
It’s a complex situation that is unfolding slightly differently in various corners of south Louisiana, where nearly 300,000 acres are dedicated to crawfish farming.
“There’s so many differences in soil type,” said Todd Fontenot, an LSU AgCenter area agent for crawfish production. “Some soils see the effects of drought quicker than others. And not everything is at the same stage.”
Much of Louisiana’s farmed crawfish is raised in rotation with rice, with many producers stocking the flooded fields with crawfish in April and May. In those fields, water was drained off between early July and early August to facilitate rice harvest.
The effects of the drought are more pronounced in fields that were drained and harvested earlier and in those with heavy soils prone to cracking when dry.
“If the burrow cracks, moisture that is inside the burrow is potentially lost, which can affect crawfish survival,” said Jeremy Hebert, an AgCenter agent in Acadia Parish. “When a crawfish seals up the burrow, it traps in moisture at the bottom of the burrow, and that helps keep the crawfish alive. Many producers are flushing their fields in order to replenish moisture to the field to hopefully reduce cracking.”
Flushing fields with water also helps keep rice stubble healthy.
“A big concern is forage,” Fontenot said. “We want to make certain that our rice comes back, that we have regrowth. That’s our food for our crawfish in the winter.”
But in some cases, flushing introduces another problem: salinity. It’s especially a concern for farmers who irrigate using surface water that has become saltier because it hasn’t rained.
While rice is somewhat tolerant of saltwater, crawfish — particularly small ones — are far more sensitive.
Hebert said he recently tested several water samples from Vermilion Parish, where sodium levels ranged from 1,780 parts per million, or ppm, to 3,100 ppm.
“The salt concentration is high,” he said. “These are surface pumps that are pumping from canals and other surface areas. These are the farmers that are going to potentially have issues.”
Without rain, Fontenot said, the salinity issue could become worse. Producers may be unable to flood their crawfish ponds, something that’s usually done from late September to October.
“If we stay this dry till flood-up, that’s where there’s going to be some hard questions,” Fontenot said.
All of this comes at a time when rice farmers are increasingly relying on crawfish to help offset skyrocketing costs.
“In the last two years, rice prices have increased but input costs also have increased,” Fontenot said. “With dry conditions this year, there’s increased pumping costs. Crawfish do fill that need and help to provide additional income to continue operating. They have become a really critical part of the farming operation.”
The cost of crawfish production also is up, with prices for irrigation, labor and equipment such as boats and traps soaring. Fontenot is hopeful that favorable weather forecasts return soon so producers can have a profitable season.
“The best solution right now is we need rainfall,” he said. “I wish I could turn on a switch and do it.”

Kaplan fullback Jed Devoltz rushed for a game-best 231 yards and scored two touchdowns, including the game-winner with 10 seconds remaining in the game, to help the Pirates beat North Vermilion 18-14 on Friday. His efforts earned him the Gulf Coast Bank Offensive Player of the Week honors. Murphy Guilbeaux of Gulf Coast Bank, left, presented him with the Player of the Week shirt. At right is Kaplan head coach Cory Brodie.

On Friday, the Abbeville Wildcats dropped a close road game to St. Mary’s of Natchitoches, 21-18.
This was the third meeting between the teams and St. Mary’s first win against Abbeville.
Going into Friday’s game, AHS head coach Roderick Moy was worried about St. Mary’s quarterback Mixon Bankston.
Bankston did what Moy thought he would do. He scored three touchdowns with his legs and had two interceptions playing at free safety.
One of those interceptions was a game-killer for AHS. With less than 30 seconds in the game, Abbeville got the ball back and needed to go around 80 yards for a game-winner. However, Bankston killed the threat with his second interception of the game at around the AHS 40-yard line.
The game was back and forth behind a solid AHS running game.
St. Mary went up 7-0 after the first period, and AHS cut it to 7-6 with a six-yard Zaylun Williams TD run. Williams finished the game with four rushes for 28 yards.
Behind the legs of Bankston, St. Mary’s got the ball back and, marched down field and extended the lead, 14-6, going into halftime.
The Wildcats kept the ball on the ground all four quarters. They finished the game with 251 yards rushing.
Edmar Simon led with 17 carries for 148 yards and scored twice.
His longest run of the night was in the third quarter when he broke one for 48 yards. The extra point was no good, and AHS was down 14-12.
The Wildcats went ahead for the first time at the start of the fourth quarter.
Simon punched it in from the 8-yard, and AHS went ahead, 18-14.
Back came St. Mary’s to retake the lead 21-18 in the fourth quarter.
Other rushers for Abbeville were Justin Montgomery (12-51), Williams (4-28) and Tyrin Doucet (4-18).
The Wildcats threw for 72 yards.
DaZavien Maze completed two passes for 27 yards.
Tahj Judge had one completion for 45 yards.
Receivers for AHS were Artis Latson (2-27) and Brian Gordon (1-45).
The Wildcats (0-1) will be home this Friday to battle against Central Catholic.

Centerville....34
Delcambre.......0

The Delcambre Panthers opened the 2023 season with a 34-0 loss to Centerville on Thursday.
The Panthers kept the ball on the ground behind the running of Kadyn Bourgeois, who had 128 yards on 28 carries. His longest run of the night was for 15 yards.
Hugo Morales had five carries for 36 yards for DHS.
Bourgeois had Delcambre’s two catches for eight yards.
DHS quarterback Rix Robin was two-for-three for eight yards.
Eli LeBlanc led the Panthers in tackles on defense with seven solos and 10 assists.

The biggest worry for some was whether 28 Vermilion Catholic players could go toe-to-toe with 45 Catholic High players in 94-degree weather.
Well, it turned out that was the wrong question.
The real question was, could Catholic High go toe-to-toe against a younger, faster VC team?
The answer Friday was no.
The Class 1A Eagles beat the Class 2A CHS Panthers 26-14 to open the 2023 season.
After getting down 14-7 at the half, the Eagles continued to run full steam while the Panthers struggled with cramps. In the third period, seven Panthers hobbled off the field with leg cramps. No Eagles went down with cramps.
VC head coach Broc Prejean said VC’s conditioning was the key to the win.
“We knew conditioning would play a role,” said Prejean. “We have been preaching it since July 31. The kids have been going hard and bought into the practice.
“Tonight, it looked like they cared for themselves during the week. I am very proud of the way our team showed up.”
The first half was won by Catholic High, on the field and on the scoreboard. The Panthers led 14-7 at halftime behind its passing game. Catholic High threw for 124 yards and ran for 52 for a total offense of 176 yards.
VC had 83 yards at halftime. VC quarterback Jonathan Dartez had only 15 yards rushing on 11 carries.
But the tide turned in the second half.
A rested Eagle offense marched 52 yards downfield in six plays to tie the game up 14-14.
Dartez found Dane Richoux in the right-hand corner of the end zone for a 21-yard game-tying touchdown. Richoux also kicked the extra point that tied it 14-14.
Richoux, a returning kicker from last year, had three receptions, 36 yards, and a touchdown. Last year, he caught 15 passes for 271 yards.
Richoux, a kicker/wide receiver, said he enjoys playing both positions.
“I like both,” he said. “Playing wide receiver, I run a lot and then have to go kick. It is not bad at all. I am not tired.”
On the second possession of the second half, the Eagles did not score, but they ate up seven minutes on the clock and wore down the Panther defense. Richoux attempted a 40-yard field goal but it went wide.
The Eagles’ defense recovered its second fumble of the game with just over two minutes to play in the third frame. William Simon fell on the ball at around midfield.
VC took advantage of the fumble and marched 48 yards in nine plays. Dartez, a junior, snuck up the middle for a five-yard TD run. That score put VC ahead 20-14.
Dartez, who only had 15 yards rushing at halftime, finished the game with 138 yards and two scores. His most extensive run of the night was a 67-yard touchdown run. He outran the Panther defenders down the right side of the field.
Dartez said he saw Catholic High getting tired, and the Eagles took advantage of that.
He said all of the team’s hard work this summer was why they won the game.
“Pulling sleds and us conditioning all summer, that helped us win this game,” said Dartez, a three-year starting quarterback. “If you look at it, we had no cramps. Everyone on this team did their job. They woke up and were hydrated all week. No one did anything stupid all week. They drank their water. We are the exception.”
Richoux added, “We made plays when it counted. We prepared better.”
VC will be on the road Friday to battle the Class 2A Ascension Episcopal in Youngsville.
“Before the game, we said half of the teams in the state are going to lose tonight,” said Prejean. “We did not want to be one of them. To be 1-0 is great. It reaffirms what we already know about our kids. And it adds to their confidence.”
“We have 28 good players who improve the 11 on the field. I am proud of the whole group.”