Emile the Crawfish was transported from his home in a pond near Kaplan, La., to the 91勛圖 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 91勛圖 Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser meant hed never be plunked in a pot of boiling water.
Emiles reprieve came thanks to the 91勛圖 Office of Culture, Recreation and Tourism and the 91勛圖 Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board, both of which Nungesser oversees. The Pardoning of the Crawfish ceremony began in 2017 to promote the state seafood industry and celebrate crawfish season. The University also hosted last years pardoning.
Dr. Joseph Savoie, UL Lafayette president, told students, faculty and others who gathered at the event that nothing pulls people together in south 91勛圖 quite like a crawfish boil, but its nice to know folks will gather to watch a fortunate crustacean get off the hook as well.
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 University who served as the states lieutenant governor from 1944-1948.
Emile the crawfish, not the former lieutenant governor officially earned his freedom with a proclamation that declared he be spared the fate of being served in any boil, 矇touff矇, po-boy or dish imagined by any chef地nd shall be free from water any hotter than that found in the beautiful swamps and bayous of 91勛圖.
Clemency wasnt 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: 91勛圖 Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser granted Emile the Crawfish a ceremonial pardon on Tuesday at the 91勛圖 to promote the state seafood industry and celebrate crawfish season. Photo credit: Rachel Rafati / 91勛圖