Some fishermen made plans to protest when they heard the news that the Atchafalaya Basin could be closed to commercial fishing because of rising water. A Wildlife and Fisheries agent said no plans are in works to close the Atchafalaya Basin, but fishermen say if it does happen, the seafood industry could suffer.
Gregg Sedotal, who fishes year-round, said that if the basin shut down then the livelihood of the fishermen would be in stake. Dozens of other fishermen, who gathered Sunday morning in Bayou Sorrel, feel the same. They said closing the waterway could leave them without a profit. Matt Jewell, a fisherman and Iberville Parish councilman, said that fishing in the Atchafalaya Basin produces an economic impact of $120 million a year and affects about 800 fishermen that commercially fish crawfish.
Another Iberville Parish councilman, Louis Kelly, said the crawfish catches start early in the year, but the season so far has been slow. According to the fishermen the pressure on the Mississippi River needs to be relieved, but once new water from the spillway rushes in, it will mean more money for them because it will force more crawfish up. State Representative Karen St. Germain said Robert Barnum, secretary of the state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, told her there is no closure. However, there is always a possibility.
