Louisiana seafood plate
A Baked oyster trio -- Rockefeller, Bienville and Fonseca -- sits on a placemat supporting Louisiana seafood at the Bourbon House Restaurant in New Orleans.
The third annual Louisiana fisheries summit will be held Wednesday (March 11) in Houma with representatives from local commercial fisheries and seafood companies discussing the state of the industry and its future.
Hundreds of commercial fishers, seafood dealers, processors and others involved in the industry are expected to attend.
Sponsored by Louisiana Sea Grant, the LSU AgCenter, and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, the event includes morning workshops followed by a trade show and hands-on demonstrations that will focus on safety issues, handling practices, processing equipment, and other gear and technique training, according to organizers.
Workshops will include discussions on insuring against disaster, refrigeration technology, and bycatch and gear regulations.
Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne is expected to speak to the crowd on the state's efforts to promote Louisiana's wild-caught seafood products, and the Coast Guard is set to conduct a helicopter rescue demonstration. The Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board will provide a lunch buffet.
The summit is scheduled for 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday at the Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center, 346 Civic Center Boulevard, Houma. Participants must sign in at the event before entering, but admission is free.