BATON ROUGE, LA (AP) — The governor says the Louisiana fishing industry has been hit with $258 million in losses due to historic flooding this year.
In a news release Friday, Gov. John Bel Edwards says the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries conducted an economic impact analysis to determine the flooding impacts.
The analysis was submitted to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to help the state qualify for part of the fisheries disaster assistance. Edwards also asked the state’s congressional delegation for help in a letter Friday.
According to the analysis, the private lease oyster industry was the hardest hit with $121 million in losses.
Heavy rains in the Midwest kept the Mississippi River at flood stage for extended periods of time and forced the opening of the Bonnet Carre Spillway two times.
