In 1998, Louisiana was 2nd behind only Alaska in the size of its commercial landings, with more than 1.1 billion lb, and ranked 2nd by value of catch at $291.9 million. Empire-Venice was 3rd highest of all US ports in 1998 with a catch of 328 million lb. The ports of Cameron and Intercoastal City ranked 6th and 7th respectively, together accounting for another 464.1 million lb. The most important species caught in Louisiana are shrimp, menhaden, and oysters. In 1998, shrimp landings amounted to 96,200,000 lb, 34.6% of the US total.
Louisiana produces most of the US crawfish harvest. With demand far exceeding the natural supply, crawfish farming began about 1959. In 1998, nearly 500 crawfish farms covered some 100,000 acres (40,500 hectares), with sales of $9.1 million. Spring water levels of the state's Atchafalaya Basin cause the wild crawfish harvest to vary from year to year. The rapid increase in imports of low-priced frozen crawfish meat from China between 1992 and 1995 greatly concerned the Louisiana crawfish industry. Catfish are also cultivated in Louisiana, on 98 farms covering some 13,728 acres (6,221 hectares) in January 1999, with a 2000 inventory of about 36.6 million fingerlings and 32.4 million stocker-sized catfish. Cash receipts from aquacultural sales were $53.2 million in 1998.
Louisiana had 627,204 sport fishing license holders in 1998. More than 37,000 lb of shellfish were distributed within the state for restoration or conservation purposes in 1998.