CHURCH POINT — The temperatures are dropping just as crawfish season is about to heat up. The current forecast of freezing temperatures in the coming days isn't the best for the crawfish industry. Crawfish farmer David Savoy tells KATC the water in his ponds is below 50 degrees.
"Magic number is about 65. That's where they really start getting active. Water is 48 degrees right now," Savoy said.
In lower temperatures the crawfish molt, or re-grow, their shells, but at a slower rate.
"You got Lent coming up, and there's going to be big demands. But you're going to be short, it's going to get hairy," Savoy explained.
Ash Wednesday is approaching, a popular day for crawfish. Freezing rain threatens crawfish production. Consumers can expect to see smaller, softer crawfish. Savoy says they may see some die.
"The big ones will bury in the mud, little ones will bury in the mud. It depends how cold it gets. Cloudy, overcast like this is not good."
The farmer says all they can do is pump more water into the pond, but that has its own issues.
"It just won't happen overnight that you can flood, put extra water in 4-500 acres, you can't do it fast enough," Savoy explained.
According to Savoy it may take a month until we see bigger, plentiful crawfish.
