Many Louisiana Seafood Market are beginning to feel the backlash from the oil spill crisis. You can imagine the hardship for all of the gumbo fans. It’s being reported that at many seafood locations the aisles were as empty as the coolers. Fish hawkers paced alongside sparsely filled counters dotted with shrimp and crabs, calling out in strained voices to the few customers strolling by. Many of the outdoor stalls were boarded up. There wasn’t a single oyster to be had.
Just a week ago, the market outside New Orleans was packed with crowds grabbing up shellfish for their crab boils, oysters Rockefeller and shrimp etouffee. One load of shrimp — about 350 pounds, at $5 a pound — disappeared in an hour. Supplies are down. Customers, worried about contamination, are staying away. And the ripple effects are starting to be felt across the country. In Southern California, supermarket chains continue to monitor the situation and are lining up alternative seafood supplies from overseas if need
