Seafood Working Group members with Restore the Mississippi River Delta joined the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority and the Coastbuilders Coalition in Baton Rouge during the regular session of the Louisiana Legislature to celebrate coastal successes and call attention to the needs of Louisiana’s working coast.

On Monday, April 24, the day began with CPRA and the Coastal Technical Assistance Center in a business matchmaking event at the Center for River Studies. Tours of the LSU Center for River Studies will immediately followed at 11 a.m., the morning wrapped with a special lunch provided for partners and staff by Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership at noon in the Oliver Pollock Room in the LDEQ Conference Center on North 5th Street. The schedule resumed promptly at 1 p.m. with Governor John Bel Edwards joining the group on the 4th floor of the Louisiana State Capitol in the Press Room to speak on the importance of restoring and protecting our valuable coast.

Afterward, partners were allowed to directly engage with legislators in Memorial Hall and Chambers at the Capitol to encourage broad support for coastal restoration, the Coastal Master Plan, and the annual plan. This was an excellent time to connect directly with decision-makers to support science-based restoration planning and restoration funding.

The formal part of the day continued with briefings on a few critical coastal updates again at the nearby Oliver Pollack Room in the LDEQ Conference Center. The day concluded with a “Boils and Brews” reception presented by Restore the Mississippi River Delta, Coastbuilders Coalition and the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana (CRCL) at the Pentagon Barracks on North 3rd Street. CRCL and oyster shell recycling partner, Chef’s Brigade had a special treat: fresh gulf oysters!