Nungesser presses Trump for La. seafood subsidies similar to those given to Maine for lobsters

BATON ROUGE, La. (KLFY) — Louisiana Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser is asking US President Donald Trump to make subsidies available to the Louisiana seafood industry similar to the aid given to Maine’s lobster industry earlier this week. You can download and read the entire letter below: In his letter, Nungesser said he read in the […]

BATON ROUGE, La. (KLFY) — Louisiana Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser is asking US President Donald Trump to make subsidies available to the Louisiana seafood industry similar to the aid given to Maine’s lobster industry earlier this week.

You can download and read the entire letter below:

In his letter, Nungesser said he read in the Bangor Daily News that Trump had directed the Department of Agriculture to give subsidies to Maine’s lobster industry due to an increase in Chinese tariffs. China is a major destination for Maine lobster, and the tariffs are a relaliatory measure for the trade war Trump has had with China. It is unclear exactly how much will be allocated for the subsidies.

Nungesser said the seafood industry has an impact of $2.4 billion on Louisiana’s economy annually. The industry, he said, has been devastated by cheap imported seafood, as well as by hurricanes, floods, oil spills and the “unexpected opening of our spillways that have negatively impacted both the supply and demand sides of the seafood economy.”

“These impoorts have been detrimental to the prices our fishermen can demand for their hauls, thereby tilting the playing field making ot more difficult for them to compete,” stated Nungesser. “The waters off the coast of my state help to feed America. We can no longer sit back and ignore their plight.”