National Crawfish Day is celebrated annually on April 17 because crawfish is a staple cuisine in the South. This holiday is especially popular in the South. Crawfish are crustaceans found in freshwater that resemble miniature lobsters, which they are related to. In some localities, they are also referred to as crayfish, crawdads, freshwater lobsters, mountain lobsters, and rock lobsters. Crawfish are classified as belonging to the superfamilies Astacoidea and Parastacoidea. Crawfish breathe through their feather-like gills. Some species of crawfish inhabit brooks and streams with a constant flow of fresh water, while others prosper in swamps and rice paddies. The majority of crawfish are intolerant of contaminated water, but the Procambarus clarkii is more resilient. Crawfish are omnivorous, feeding on both living and decomposing animals and vegetation.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL CRAWFISH DAY
Although crawfish have a long history that spans many eras and cultures, the earliest accounts of their existence and consumption trace back to the 18th and 19th centuries. Native Americans used reeds coated with deer meat as the first fishing lure to capture crawfish, according to the history of crawfish in America. According to legend, the Houma Tribe of Native Americans adopted a red crawfish as their symbol as early as the 17th century, symbolising the aggressive crawfish that raises its claw in defence rather than retreating.
In the 1700s, the Acadians or Cajuns, as they are now known, arrived from Canada and settled along the bayous in what is now the southeastern United States. Crawfish consumption at the time was predominantly motivated by necessity because it was so inexpensive and readily available. The Acadians began adapting traditional Canadian lobster recipes for the crawfish, a much smaller relative of crustaceans. According to documents from the Louisiana Office of Tourism, “Creole restaurateurs in New Orleans picked up on it, and once it gained on in the Big Easy, the secret was out: crawfish became synonymous with Louisiana cuisine.”
Along with other aspects of the great cultural shift, the Louisiana spring tradition of crawfish barbecues emerged in the 1900s. The state government of Louisiana designated the crawfish as the official crustacean of the state in 1980. Red wetland and white river crawfish comprise the majority of Louisiana’s annual 100 million-pound crawfish harvest.
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Five Interesting Crawfish Facts
- Crawfish have four walking legs and four swimming legs, allowing them to travel forward and swim backward.
- Since crawfish can typically only subsist in freshwater, they are susceptible to drowning in polluted water.
- According to studies, crawfish can survive in the wild for up to 30 years.
- Crawfish can be blue, green, and white, among many other colours.
- Similar to crabs and their near relative the lobster, crawfish are crustaceans.
NATIONAL CRAWFISH DAY DATES
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | April 17 | Monday |
| 2024 | April 17 | Wednesday |
| 2025 | April 17 | Thursday |
| 2026 | April 17 | Friday |
| 2027 | April 17 | Saturday |
