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Thomas Rozelle, looks at a crop of freshly caught crawfish at BOCAGE Crawfish, Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024, in Acadia Parish, LA. (Antranik Tavitian / Houston Landing)

Crawfish prices soaring after last year’s drought wiped out most of the harvest

“It’s like the stock market crash for crawfish,” said Thomas Rozelle, a Pasadena wholesaler struggling to find enough supply for his Houston customers.

By Elena Bruess, Houston Landing

Thomas Rozelle checks on his suppliers as he drives to Crawfish Corner to pick up sacks of crawfish to bring back to clients in Houston, Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024, in Acadia Parish, LA. (Antranik Tavitian / Houston Landing)
Thomas Rozelle, at right, takes a video of Miguel Castillo Herrero, operator at BOCAGE Crawfish, and freshly caught crawfish for his online followers, Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024, in Acadia Parish, LA. (Antranik Tavitian / Houston Landing)

Dead in the ground

Thomas Rozelle enters Crawfish Corner’s walk in to grab sacks of crawfish, Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024, in Opelousas, LA. (Antranik Tavitian / Houston Landing)
Thomas Rozelle eats a freshly cooked crawfish while picking up sacks of crawfish from Crawfish Corner, Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024, in Opelousas, LA. (Antranik Tavitian / Houston Landing)
Thomas Rozelle, at left, and David Scheufens, manager of BOCAGE Crawfish, look at the frozen products available, Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024, in Acadia Parish, LA. (Antranik Tavitian / Houston Landing)

At the corner

Thomas Rozelle drops off sacks of live crawfish at The Deck on Fountainview, Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024, in Houston. (Antranik Tavitian / Houston Landing)
Thomas Rozelle, at right, greets Jun Demouchet, of Crawfish Corner, before picking up sacks of crawfish, Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024, in Opelousas, LA. (Antranik Tavitian / Houston Landing)
Thomas Rozelle kisses his wife Cythia through the window before heading out to deliver crawfish to local restaurants and suppliers, Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024, in Pasadena. (Antranik Tavitian / Houston Landing)

A crawfish boil

Thomas Rozelle fills his truck’s water level before heading out to deliver crawfish to local restaurants and suppliers, Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024, in Pasadena. (Antranik Tavitian / Houston Landing)
Kayla Moore picks off crawfish tails from Cock-A-Doodle Crawfish & Catering during their weekend pop-up at Wakefield Crowbar, Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024, in Houston. (Antranik Tavitian / Houston Landing)

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