Some fishermen in Delcambre are expressing their concerns after several employees were laid off from their jobs at Ocean's Havest, a seafood wholesaler on Monday.
According to Port Director, Wendell Verret, officials from a company called Fortune Fish & Gourmet, based in Illinois terminated several employees and sent them home with severance paperwork during a meeting.
Verret said he is working with Louisiana's Department of Economic and Community Development Agency to see what funding may be available to supply ice to fishermen in Delcambre.
Timothy Joseph Schouest said he's been a Commercial Fisherman since he was 14 and he's concerned Congress is targeting Delcambre's fresh shrimp business.
"Imports," Schouest said. "It all boils down to imports and it all boils down to our politicians putting money in their pocket and every, last one of them is doing it."
Schouest said man-made shrimp is being imported to Louisiana from places like China and Ecuador, hindering people who make a living off of fresh shrimp.
Joseph Sauce and he and his son, Carlton Sauce are also in the shrimping business. The Sauces said they now have to explore new methods to keep their shrimp from spoiling since Fortune Fish & Gourmet also closed an ice house on the port.
"People came in and shut the breakers off the lot and the ice house," Joseph said. "People needed ice and they wouldn't even sell them any ice, they said, 'Let the ice melt."
I reached out to Fortune Fish & Gourmet for comment, but I am still waiting for a response.
