Hurricane Gustav causes US$46 million damage to US aquaculture

Hurricane Gustav caused an estimated US$46 million in damages to the US aquaculture industry after it made landfall in the US recently. 

The downpour, which dumped 20 inches of rain in Louisiana, overflowed aquaculture ponds and wrought heavy damage to crops. Most of the farms in the state grow catfish and crawfish.

According to initial estimates by the Louisiana State University AgCentre, damage to crops was almost nine times heavier than to aquaculture, amounting to US$372 million. 

Damages from the storm was even more powerful that Hurricane Katrina, which stomped through the state in 2005 as Gustav traveled further inland.

Fisheries and aquaculture damage was expected to be largest for the alligator, shrimp, crab and oyster industries.

The shrimp industry suffered a US$22-million loss. 

The state is asking for federal aid for farmers affected by the hurricane.