There was a point in the last year when many dealers in Gulf of Mexico oysters, shrimp and other seafood couldn't fill their customers' orders.
"Last summer we were shipping sometimes 10 percent of what we had on order," said Chris Nelson of Bon Secour Fisheries, which processes oysters and shrimp as well as sells others' products. "Some days we didn't have anything."
The inability to supply customers in some cases caused the market to shrink because restaurants and stores want to offer the same thing consistently, and they found other suppliers.
"They want to have what they've got on their menu every day," Nelson said. "It takes you off the market, so it gives your competitors an opportunity to take market share."
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