CROWLEY, La. — Louisiana’s crawfish industry is facing major challenges during what should be its most profitable time of year, as spring marks the height of crawfish season for the state’s $300 million business.
The sector is experiencing significant difficulties this season because of a lack of available seasonal workers from other countries, with industry representatives pointing fingers at the Trump administration for what they describe as delays in approving sufficient guest worker permits on schedule.
Major crawfish operations rely heavily on temporary workers, primarily from Mexico and Central American nations, to handle the labor-intensive work of shelling and freezing the freshwater crustaceans harvested from Louisiana’s flooded rice paddies — grueling work that domestic laborers typically avoid.
