Nutria: Fact, Fur & Fashion – Episode Six

We explore the impact of the invasive nutria in Louisiana’s coastal wetlands, dispel myths about their origins and consider the value of its pelt. This episode includes interviews with Jennifer Hogue-Manuel at LDWF and manager of the state Nutria Control Program, Shane Bernard, historian and archivist at Avery Island, and founder of Righteous Fur, Cree McCree.

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For more information on today’s topic:

• nutria.com
• Louisiana Fur Advisory Council
• Righteous Fur Facebook Page
• Ti-Nute, the Angel of Devil Island by Morris Raphael
• Rodents of Unusual Size documentary

Get in touch at coastalconnectionpodcast@gmail.com, and find us on Instagram @coastal__connection and Twitter @coastal_podcast!

Nutria Harvest for Wetland Restoration Demonstration (LA-03a)

Louisiana’s growing nutria population is detrimental to the state’s coastal marshes as the animals consume wetland plants that hold the soil together.

Location

This project was located throughout the coastal zone of Louisiana.

Problems

The nutria is a non-native, fur-bearing species in the rodent family that was introduced to enhance the Louisiana fur industry. Since the decline of the fur industry, nutria populations have increased tremendously along the coast. Because nutria voraciously consume marsh plants that help anchor wetlands, this non-native nutria population is now having a significant negative impact on coastal marsh health.

Restoration Strategy

The goals of this demonstration project were to determine if nutria meat for human consumption could be promoted and determine if a meat processing system promotional program could be developed. Meeting these goals would have facilitated nutria harvest through an increased meat demand. The project called for Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act funding matching that of participating meat-processing plants in order to compensate trappers for the nutria they harvest. The project also included monitoring selected coastal marsh areas by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) to assess both nutria damage and recovery resulting from this project.

Other components of the project included nutria meat recipe development and publication, along with an advertising and marketing strategy focused on increasing the public demand for nutria meat. The project was implemented by the LDWF with oversight by the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Progress to Date

This demonstration project was approved by the Louisiana Coastal Wetlands Conservation and Restoration Task Force in April 1997. Through this project, LDWF has coordinated with consultants to develop and implement various nutria meat marketing activities.

Marketing activities included LDWF staff activities and contracting with consultants to: (1) develop and evaluate local, national, and international nutria meat market potential for human consumption; (2) develop a nutria meat marketing plan, including a Nutria Marketing Strategic Report which proposed various ways to encourage the public to eat nutria; (3) participate in festivals and chef’s competitions; (4) distribute nutria meat to the public through sales at grocery stores, restaurants, and other retail outlets; (5) determine nutria meat processing costs, product price structure, and potential meat production volume; and (6) plan promotional and advertising activities based on the Nutria Marketing Strategic Report.

The LDWF 1999, 2000, and 2001 nutria coastal damage surveys and reports indicated continued nutria-related marsh damages in the Louisiana deltaic plain at a level of approximately 100,000 acres per year impacted. Because of the January 2002 Task Force approval of the larger Coastwide Nutria Control Program (LA-03b), the LDWF discontinued providing incentive payments to trappers and conducting nutria herbivory surveys under this demonstration project. Those two items will be funded under the larger project. However, funding for nutria meat processors enrolled in the program, as well as nutria meat marketing activities, continued until the project was completed in October 2003. This project is on Priority Project List 6.

The project is on Priority Project List (PPL) 6.

The Federal Sponsor is US Fish & Wildlife Service.

The Local Sponsor is CPRA.

Approved Date: 1997
Project Area: N/A
Approved Funds: $0.80 M
Total Est. Cost: $0.80 M
Net Benefit After 20 Years: N/A
Status: Completed
Project Type: Demonstration: Herbivory Control

Cooking with Invasive Species

Louisiana is a great place to institute a culture of dining on invasive species because, in addition loving good food, we’ve got plenty of them.  In a state where hunting is common and nutria are rampant, the Coastwide Nutria Control Program (LA-03b, nutria.com) pays people to harvest nutria. There are many benefits to a program like this, including food, environmental protection, and partial income for indulging in a hobby for many sportsmen. On the science side, our nutria program maintains a database of regions where nutria are trapped or hunted that can aid in assessing their damage. [2] The tasty meat from nutria can also be used in cooking, so it doesn’t go to waste. The 2017 documentary “Rodents of Unusual Size” features coastal Louisiana natives, chefs, and others trying to limit the damage done by Louisiana’s nutria population. [3]

There are also plenty of recipes for feral hogs since they are the same species as domestic pigs, Sus scrofa, a staple in American cuisine. Feral hog meat can be substituted into any recipe that calls for domesticated pork, like a classic roast (pictured from Cook-off for the Coast 2019), however it’s important to make sure the hog was thoroughly inspected after harvest since they can carry parasites and diseases harmful to humans. Other invasives that have accessible recipes with a quick search on the web include apple snails (a delicacy in some parts of the world), water hyacinth, and multiple species of Asian carp.

Creative solutions to growing problems come in many forms. Harvesting invasive species as a food source is a multi-benefit solution in the fight against damage from invasives. While some scientists disagree with this method of invasive control, saying it has too little of an effect on invasive populations [1], putting invasive species on the dinner plate can help spread awareness of the issue and provide incentive for increased harvests. CWPPRA embraces new solutions to land loss in Louisiana, and we urge our readers to explore alternative food options that may help in our fight to #ProtectOurCoast. Who knows? You might find a new favorite food.

 

[1] https://www.theguardian.com/environment/world-on-a-plate/2015/feb/06/cooking-cant-solve-the-invasive-threat

[2] https://nutria.com/site24.php

[3] https://boingboing.net/2013/04/29/meat-from-a-20-kb-swamp-rat-t.html

Marsh Maneuvers

Marsh Maneuvers is an education program focused on increasing the interests and knowledge of the younger generation toward coastal ecology and the biology of the coastal area. The program is a four week series camp in which each week, four parishes send high-school 4-H students to participate in a four-day camp. LSU AgCenter, in cooperation with the Louisiana Sea Grant College Program, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, and the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, are sponsors of the Marsh Maneuvers program held at Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge in Grand Chenier, LA. The 64 students experience activities such as airboat tours of natural marsh ecosystems, trolling for aquatic life, learning about both native and invasive vegetation and wildlife, and understanding biological processes on the coast.

On July 19 and 26, the CWPPRA Public Outreach staff gave a presentation and distributed a multitude of published materials to the attendees of the 2016 Marsh Maneuver camps. The presentation focused on CWPPRA’s selection process, projects in southwest Louisiana, and various methods used for restoration. While the majority of coastal erosion occurs in Louisiana, the entire country falls victim to its effects. CWPPRA believes that it is imperative to be aware of the natural and anthropogenic impacts to coastal regions and educate the youth to be ambassadors for restoration of the coast.

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Invasive Species of Wetlands

Invasive Species

Wetlands are natural ecosystems that provide an abundance of wealth to not only it’s inhabitants, but also to surrounding communities. Wetlands provide benefits ranging from water filtration to storm surge protection; however, wetlands have become vulnerable to invasive species. Invasive species are plants, animals, or pathogens that are non-native to the ecosystem and whose introduction causes or is likely to cause damage. Known as major contributors to wetland and coastal habitat loss, invasive species also threaten native species, as well as endangered species who rely exclusively on the wetlands for survival.

The foreign animals that have been recognized as invasive to coastal wetlands include Asian carp, wild boar, island applesnails, and nutria. The invasive plant species include Chinese tallow, common reed, and purple loosestrife. Invasive animal and plant species have altered the health of wetlands in some way; CWPPRA strives to protect the wetlands by constructing methods to diminish the invasive threat and restore native species dominance and health within the wetlands.

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Wetland Recreation

In honor of summer officially beginning this week, this Wetland Wednesday focuses on:

Recreation in the Wetlands

One of the many valuable qualities offered by wetlands is recreation. Ecosystems are highly biologically diversified, providing an abundance of species to view or catch. Boating, fishing, bird-watching, photography, or simply enjoying the landscape are all activities which attract greater use of wetlands during summer months. Known as the “Sportsman’s Paradise,” Louisiana wetlands draw a large number of tourists and natives, increasing the ecotourism of the state. The Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection, and Restoration Act encourages the public to be opportunistic in using wetlands as a beneficial natural resource while also recognizing their importance and need for protection. While recreationally using wetlands, remember to respect the home of wildlife, including many endangered species.

Happy Summer!

Wildlife of the Wetlands

Nutria: Friend or Foe of Wetlands?

The nutria, a large, semi-aquatic rodent native to South America was introduced to North America to benefit the fur industry in the 1930s. Louisiana led the fur industry at its peak when 1.8 million nutria pelts were worth $15.7 million, reaching an average price of $8.19 per pelt. During the fur trade, the nutria was also used as a biological agent to control aquatic weeds—primarily water hyacinth—and was distributed along the coast, with a large concentration in southeast Louisiana. Due to changes in the industry, the fur trade quickly declined during the 1980s, leaving an immense overabundance of nutria in coastal North America.

Nutria mature quickly, reaching reproductive maturity at 3-9 months, with the ability to produce 2 litters of 1-13 young and become pregnant a third time all within one year. With the lack of significant natural population control and a high reproductive rate, the population of nutria grew tremendously and made a historic, yet detrimental, impact on coastal marshes and agricultural fields. Primarily herbivorous, nutria have a diet ranging from aquatic, sub-aquatic, and land plants; they often feed on the base of the plant, constructing large holes from digging for roots and rhizomes, halting plant regrowth. Not only do nutria feed at a rapid pace, but they also consume approximately 25 percent of their body weight daily. With vegetative growth being critical to hold sediments in place for the formation of new wetlands, the Coastal Wetland Planning, Protection, and Restoration Act implemented the Coastwide Nutria Control Program in 2002 in hopes of protecting wetland growth and vegetation. The Coastwide Nutria Control Program was designed to eradicate 400,000 nutria annually with an incentive payment to encourage nutria harvesting. Prior to the program installment in 2002, aerial surveys from 1993-2001 revealed approximately 100,000 acres of nutria-damaged marsh coastwide. An estimated 6,008 acres of coastal marsh were damaged in 2015.

 

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SOC 2016

The State of the Coast conference took place June 1-3rd in New Orleans, LA. The State of the Coast conference is an interdisciplinary forum to exchange timely and relevant information on the dynamic conditions of Louisiana’s coastal communities, environment, and economy and to apply that information to existing and future coastal restoration and protection efforts, policies, and decision-making. The conference is hosted by the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana in partnership with the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority and The Water Institute of the Gulf. CWPPRA is a sponsor of State of the Coast.

Kimberly Davis Reyher, Executive Director of the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, began the conference with a brief welcome and an introduction of the welcome address speaker, Johnny Bradberry, Executive Assistant to the Governor for Coastal Affairs and CPRA Chairman. The welcome was followed by a keynote address by Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards. During his speech, Governor Edwards stated, “Coastal dollars are going to be used for coastal issues. We are ready for more, bigger, and better projects. I did not become governor to watch south Louisiana wash away.”  In addition, the governor declared,

“coastal restoration is important in more ways than we can count if we want to remain the great State of Louisiana.”

Other plenary speakers included Michael Ellis, Executive Director of the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority; Chip Groat, President and CEO of The Water Institute of the Gulf; Mayor Mitch Landrieu, City of New Orleans; and Dr. Denise Reed, Chief Scientist at The Water Institute of the Gulf. Brad Inman, Senior Project Manager for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Chairman of the CWPPRA Planning and Evaluation Committee, presented The Status and Future of the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection, and Restoration Act Program.

The CWPPRA outreach exhibit at State of the Coast was an exciting stop for conference attendees. Through a partnership with the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program, participants were able to visit with a live alligator and nutria at the booth. Beignet the nutria demonstrated the tremendous quantity and speed at which nutria can eat, illustrating the destruction that they cause to coastal wetlands. Bootsie, an American Alligator, represented wetland wildlife that contributes to local economy and various industries. CWPPRA debuted a new poster series campaign entitled “Protect Our Coast.” Illustrated by CWPPRA Media Specialist Nikki Cavalier, the two posters depict the Louisiana iris and the Brown Pelican. The Protect Our Coast campaign theme was extended through a photo booth in the exhibit. Participants were able to select from a variety of props to hold or wear while posing in front of the campaign poster banners. Participants posted their photos on multiple social media platforms with the campaign hashtag #ProtectOurCoast.

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