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Local entrepreneur seeks lease of fisheries building to reopen shrimp/oyster processing and hatchery services
Summary
Chris McCall told the jury he wants to lease the parish fisheries building to establish an integrated shrimp, crab and oyster market operation — including hatchery and processing capacity — and jurors asked the fisheries committee to draft lease terms and continue coordination with state permitting agencies.
Chris McCall outlined a private plan to lease the parish fisheries building and to pursue a broader seafood-production footprint that would support local shrimpers and crabbers and include oyster-production elements. He said the operation would be privately funded and could provide ice, fuel and processing capacity that local fishermen currently lack, and that integrating oysters into the footprint would improve economic viability.
Jurors and staff agreed to put the fisheries committee back together to draft lease/CEA terms and to identify state-level permits and grant opportunities needed to make the plan viable. Staff noted some aspects of the plan depend on state actions regarding West Cove and other permitting matters, meaning the project's viability is contingent on external approvals and potential grant awards.
Next steps: The fisheries committee will reconvene, draft recommended lease terms, and return a proposed CEA/lease for committee and full-jury consideration.
