Louisiana Crawfish

Some say that there is a legend about where crawfish really came from that involved the Cajuns. The legend goes that the Lobsters loved the Cajuns so much that they traveled across the seas searching for their beloved people after the Cajuns were forced to start a new life in Louisiana. But, the lobsters didn't strive due to the rough journey, which caused them to shrink and become the crawfish they are known as today.

However, most believe that the Native Americans of the Louisiana area were actually the first to discover the unique flavor of crawfish. The Native Americans would use venison and reeds to catch the crawfish in large quantities for food.

In time, the people of Louisiana discovered the Native American's love for Crawfish and were able to catch larger quantities of it by using nets and eventually crawfish traps. The harvested crawfish created a means for business, making crawfish a booming industry for Louisiana.

There are only two types of crawfish harvested for the commercial industry in Louisiana, however. The red swamp crawfish (procambarus clarkii) are harvested from southern Louisiana and are the main source for the harvest. The white river crawfish, (procambarus zonangulus) being the lesser of two, are harvested in the northern part of Louisiana.

Eventually the demand for crawfish outran the quantity that could be harvested in the wild, so a plan was devised and man-made ponds were created to help increase that quantity. Soon other states began raising and harvesting crawfish, and once again the crawfish industry was back in business and doing great.

So great in fact, that the governor of Louisiana passed a law that made the crawfish the state's official crustacean in 1983.

Today, the locals of Louisiana still love to enjoy their crawfish with the age-old tradition of a crawfish boil where crawfish are boiled in a large pot along with seasonings and sometimes vegetables or other meats. And of course crawfish etouffee is known far and wide as the premier Cajun dish.

Crawfish boiling isn't the only local tradition happening in Louisiana, however. In Breaux, Bridge Louisiana, the residents celebrate with a crawfish festival every year in May.

Crawfish's popularity is still going strong and the proof can be found everywhere you look, but especially in the hearts' of Louisianans.