ST. MARY - Shrimping has been an industry and a tradition for over a century, but for many on the job, there are concerns about what comes next.

Fourth-generation shrimper, St. Mary Councilman, and member of the Louisiana Shrimp Task Force, Rodney Olander says shrimping today isn't what it used to be.

"We have to keep this industry going, it's a heritage," he said.

In the last decade, the industry has seen its fair share of struggles.

"The last few years for opening we're looking at maybe 30 boats, 40 boats in the whole bay. If you look around, I don't know if you can even count six boats," he said.

One reason he believes the industry is struggling is the amount of imported shrimp that is being sold in the country.

"We need to cut back on the imports. We need to put at least a 25% reduction on the amount of imports coming into the country," he said.

Something he says Louisianans could do to help is to make sure they are buying local shrimp. 

"A wild-caught shrimp with no seasoning or anything, you taste the two, you're gonna taste that wild-caught shrimp. That pond-raised shrimp has no taste," he said. 

Another thing he says that impacts that is impacting both tradition and industry is the rising costs shrimpers face.

"The problem is, if something doesn't happen here, if the government doesn't come out with a program to start helping the younger generation continue in, we're gonna end up losing this because the younger generation just can't afford to get into it," he said.

Olander encourages people to come out and support the Shrimp and Petroleum festival and to make sure it's Louisiana-caught.