NEW ORLEANS -- The supply of Louisiana Blue Crabs is now returning to normal.
The question now, will demand return?
Some of southeast Louisiana's prime crabbing waters reopened this weekend, sending many commercial crabbers back to work Monday.
"It'll shake back quick," crabber Chris Gauthreax said. "Everybody's starting to throw back out now, so it should be pretty quick."
The waters of Lake Borgne are now open again, which helps in two ways. Lake Borgne is rich in blue crabs, plus it'll help alleviate crowding in Lake Pontchartrain.
"This lake is only going to hold out for so long," Gauthreaux said. "Once it starts getting cold, you got to go to Lake Borgne. It's really important."
The new openings are having an immediate impact on supply.
"Each day through the week we should see increased production," Gary Bauer said. Bauer is the owner of Pontchartrain Blue Crabs, Louisiana's largest crabbing operation. Bauer is also the Crabbing Representative to the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board. "We want increased demand to match the increased production."
With supply up, demand becomes the issue.
"Getting back to normal is going to depend on public perception," Bauer said. "That's it."
Bauer believes locals will come back to Louisiana seafood first, and the bigger issue will be getting people up north to buy again.
And there is good news for local consumers, because the demand is down, the price is coming down.
"We've got to give incentive for the consumer to come back and buy," Bauer said, "and that's what my main goal is right now, to get people back to the counter for Louisiana seafood."
