DELCAMBRE, KATC - Despite lingering uncertainty over the pause in proposed tariffs, shrimpers in Delcambre are cautiously optimistic. For many in this tight-knit community, the move signals the possibility of long-awaited relief for an industry that’s been struggling to stay afloat.
Rene “Lil Man” Gregorie, a third-generation shrimper, has spent four decades navigating these waters. He says commercial fishermen have long been overlooked in national economic conversations.
“The farmers are going to have it hard, the car salesmen is going to have it hard, but what about the commercial fisherman?” Gregorie asked. “Something needs to be done about our prices, we've been having it hard, not just today.”
Shrimping is a way of life in Delcambre, passed down through generations. But it’s also a livelihood increasingly threatened by low-cost imported shrimp. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, more than 90% of shrimp consumed in the U.S. is imported—often at a fraction of the cost of domestic catch.
“The shrimping industry got so bad to where there’s no prices,” Gregorie said. “Imports are killing us.”
Gregorie continues to work on his boat, making small repairs and hoping for bigger change. Recently, the Trump administration introduced reciprocal tariffs on major shrimp-exporting countries, including India, Indonesia, Ecuador, and Vietnam—meant to protect domestic producers.
“The tariffs are going to help us out, I believe, by stopping the imports from coming in,” he said.
For Gregorie and other local fishermen, the proposed tariffs offered a glimmer of hope—an opportunity to level the playing field and make shrimping profitable again.
“They are getting their import so cheap and they are not worried about us out there killing ourselves catching the shrimp,” he added.
Still, the recent pause on those tariffs has tempered expectations. Industry advocates say while tariffs alone won’t solve every problem, they could slow the tide of cheap foreign imports and provide some breathing room for U.S. shrimpers.
“By having this tariff maybe it’s going to help us by stopping the imports from coming in,” Gregorie said. “We’ll get a better product and we can survive. We can go out and make a living like we used to do.”
Once a bustling hub of shrimping activity, Delcambre’s port now sees fewer boats and faces a future clouded by economic pressure. Local shrimpers say without change, the next generation may not be able to carry on the tradition.
As the Trump administration weighs its next move, all eyes are on the potential impact to trade relations—and to the communities whose livelihoods depend on a fair market.
