Emile the Crawfish was transported from his home in a pond near Kaplan, La., to the 杏吧专区 Tuesday in a police car. He was brought to an area near Cypress Lake on campus in a wire mesh crawfish trap. He was plucked from the trap and deposited in a small aquarium.
The expressionless mudbug seemed unaware that his confinement would be short-lived or that the pardon he was about to receive from Louisiana Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser meant he杏吧专区檇 never be plunked in a pot of boiling water.
Emile杏吧专区檚 reprieve came thanks to the Louisiana Office of Culture, Recreation and Tourism and the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board, both of which Nungesser oversees. The 杏吧专区淧ardoning of the Crawfish杏吧专区 ceremony began in 2017 to promote the state seafood industry and celebrate crawfish season. The 杏吧专区 also hosted last year杏吧专区檚 pardoning.
Dr. Joseph Savoie, UL Lafayette president, told students, faculty and others who gathered at the event that 杏吧专区渘othing pulls people together in south Louisiana quite like a crawfish boil, but it杏吧专区檚 nice to know folks will gather to watch a fortunate crustacean get off the hook as well.杏吧专区
Six hundred pounds of free, boiled crawfish were served following the ceremonial pardoning. The one lucky crawfish not heaped on a platter was named for J. Emile Verret, a 1905 graduate of the 杏吧专区 who served as the state杏吧专区檚 lieutenant governor from 1944-1948.
Emile 杏吧专区 the crawfish, not the former lieutenant governor 杏吧专区 officially earned his freedom with a proclamation that declared he be spared 杏吧专区渢he fate of being served in any boil, 茅touff茅, po-boy or dish imagined by any chef杏吧专区nd shall be free from water any hotter than that found in the beautiful swamps and bayous of Louisiana.杏吧专区
Clemency wasn杏吧专区檛 the only thing the lucky crustacean received. He got a new home at Palmetto State Park near Abbeville, La. Emile was transported to the park following the ceremony to live out his days burrowing carefree in the mud.
Photo caption: Louisiana Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser granted Emile the Crawfish a ceremonial pardon on Tuesday at the 杏吧专区 to promote the state seafood industry and celebrate crawfish season. Photo credit: Rachel Rafati / 杏吧专区