Donna resident aims to raise awareness of shrimping industry challenges
Related Story
After hearing of the problems affecting the Valley shrimping industry, John Crose says he wants to do something about it.
"We call it shrimp aid,” Crose said. “Like farm aid, but we call it a shrimp aid SOS, support our shrimpers."
Crose is a full-time Winter Texan living in Donna.
Thousands more Winter Texans are expected to arrive to the Rio Grande Valley for the season.
During the season, Crose said he'll do his part to inform people that gulf shrimpers are facing high costs, issues getting workers, and stiff competition from imports.
READ MORE: Port Isabel issues disaster declaration on shrimping industry
He said he’ll do it by planning parties, and the food to go with it.
“When they start arriving, we'll use all of our events, and we'll start promoting it and giving them the information,” Crose said.
The city of Port Isabel previously issued a state of disaster declaration for the shrimping industry.
Cameron County commissioners voted to approve a resolution in support of the local shrimping industry afterward.
Government bodies along the gulf in Texas and Louisiana have done the same.
PREVIOUS STORY: Cameron County Commissioners approve resolution to support Valley shrimpers
The Southern Shrimp Alliance is asking governors of the Gulf States to sign their own declarations.
Part of this issue is labeling, as gulf shrimp isn’t always advertised at restaurants.
“People can buy cheaper, but they don't know why it's cheaper,” Crose said. “They just see it's cheaper. That's the mentality."
Watch the video above for the full story.
News
