Aquaculture specialists with the LSU AgCenter will present an educational program for crawfish producers at the Lafayette South Regional Library at 6:30 p.m., April 10.

Greg Lutz, LSU AgCenter aquaculture specialist, will give an assessment of the current season and explain how drought conditions last summer and fall played a part in the slow start to the season.

The program will help farmers evaluate their particular production challenges and see how they can improve their management techniques.

Farmers sometimes need to adjust management plans to compensate for problems created by Mother Nature, according to LSU AgCenter regional crawfish specialist Mark Shirley.

“In the next few weeks, farmers will be stocking fields for next season. In some cases, stocking is not necessary and could cause problems as well as being expensive,” Shirley said. "We will discuss when stocking is necessary, selecting good healthy stock and how to improve survival of the stock."

LSU AgCenter crawfish researcher Robert Romaire from the Aquaculture Research Center in Baton Rouge will talk about some of the crawfish research that has been going on and how it applies to production practices.

Other pond management issues will be discussed, followed by a question-and-answer session.

The free program is open to all crawfish producers and anyone considering starting a pond. Free copies of the Crawfish Production Handbook will be available at the meeting.

The Lafayette South Regional Library is at 6101 Johnston St., on the corner of Johnston Street and Duhon Road, south of the Acadiana Mall.

For more information, contact Shirley at the LSU AgCenter Vermilion Parish office at (337) 898-4335.