Soaring Gas Prices Hamper Georgia Shrimping Recovery

Caption

Shrimp boat heading out to sea in Darien.

Credit: Anchored Shrimp Company

Georgia shrimpers took a hit last year due to COVID-19. Now, high gas prices are slowing their recovery.

As restaurants closed and limited capacity in 2020 because of the coronavirus, they bought less shrimp. And even as home cooks bought more, prices stayed low.

That was bad news for Georgia shrimpers.

Now, John Wallace of Anchored Shrimp Company said shrimp prices are back up, but their difficulties aren’t over.

“It is a good thing that the price is up, because like I said, you’ve got to do something to offset the rising fuel cost,” he said.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is stepping in to help. The agency recently announced a purchase of $25 million worth of South Atlantic and Gulf Coast shrimp to help boost the industry.