Louisiana has a reputation for great food, and wildlife officials are hoping they can leverage that into a certification program that will make the state’s seafood stand out in the supermarket.
This spring, the state Wildlife and Fisheries Department will launch a geographic certification program. The voluntary program allows seafood retailers to enroll in training, after which they can brand their product with a special logo identifying it as wild, authentic Louisiana seafood.
“The mission is to help differentiate our Louisiana seafood,” said Rene LeBreton, program manager with Wildlife and Fisheries.
The same branding has been accomplished with other foods, like Vidalia onions, Kobe beef and Alaskan seafood.
Eventually, the state hopes to launch a premium seafood program that will have stiffer qualifications. But Wildlife and Fisheries officials are meeting with industry representatives first, LeBreton said.
