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A Louisiana Shrimp Boat

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Louisiana contributes about 28% of the total volume of the U.S. fisheries with a value of about $1 billion annually. The catch is comparable to the entire Atlantic seaboard, and triple that of the remaining gulf states. Over 50,000 people are engaged in wetland dependent fisheries. The annual shrimp and oyster harvest supplies 35 to 40 percent of the nation's needs. In addition to the fish and wildlife value, wetlands reduce storm and erosion damage, detain floodwaters, recharge groundwater aquifers, and maintain water quality.