The secretary at the Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge in Cameron Parish has been answering the same question over and over for the last two weeks - “is the refuge open for crabbing?”
The answer has been the same, “yes.”
Residents from south Louisiana have been buzzing the phone at the Rockfeller Refuge wanting to know if it they can still crab at the refuge and is it safe.
For more than 40 years, Rockefeller has been a popular place to fish, shrimp and crab.
Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge,located in eastern Cameron and western Vermilion Parishes, is owned and maintained by the State of Louisiana. When deeded to the state the refuge encompassed approximately 86,000 acres, but beach erosion has taken a heavy toll, and the most recent surveys indicate only 76,042 acres remaining. This area borders the Gulf of Mexico for 26.5 miles and extends inland toward the Grand Chenier ridge, a stranded beach ridge, six miles from the Gulf.
Biologist Gutchrie Perry, who manages the refuge, said there is no oil in the marsh or near the marsh.
“We are operating as normal,” said Perry. “The rumor that we are closed is only a rumor. If we decide to close, the public will know about it.”
Because the refuge boarders the Gulf, rumors are flying around that oil from the oil spill has made its way into the marshes of the refuge. Perry said that is not the case.
He said if you open a crab and it is black inside, it is not caused by oil in the water. “It is probably mud in the crab. When the water is low, they like to bury themselves in the mud.”
Putting them in saltwater before boiling them will clean out the mud, he said.
There are plenty of crabs available to catch, he added.
06-14-2010, 10:41 PM
Oil spill confusing crabbers
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