Louisiana is the Bellwether of U.S. Shrimping: A Conversation with Acy Cooper

"Send a text sharing your thoughts about the episode."Shrimp is the most consumed seafood in the U.S. Annually Americans consume on average per person almost six pounds of shrimp. Today imports not only account for 90% of the shrimp we consume, but also have gravely impacted our domestic shrimping industry. Although a leading provider of high-quality shrimp in the U.S. and the Gulf of Mexico’s center of gravity for shrimp culture, Louisiana has experienced such an extraordinary decline that its shrimping community is facing an existential crisis. In this episode, we hear from Acy Cooper, President of the Louisiana Shrimp Association and a third-generation commercial shrimper from Venice, Louisiana. A well-known voice in the Gulf shrimping community, Acy brings frontline experience to his role as president, championing policy changes to level the playing field for U.S. shrimpers amid global competition and advocating for sustainable futures for coastal families and businesses. The Louisiana Shrimp Association is dedicated to protecting and promoting the state’s wild-caught shrimp industry, advocating for domestic shrimpers on local, state, and federal levels, and working to preserve the cultural and economic heritage of Louisiana’s seafood community.