Louisiana starts new tradition, crawfish pardoning

Every November, a turkey is pardoned by the president. Now, Louisiana is putting its spin on the tradition with the first-ever pardoning of the crawfish, WGNO TV reports.

According to The Advertiser, Louisiana Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser, spice company Zatarain’s, representatives of the Louisiana Seafood Board and Department of Wildlife and Fisheries held a pardoning ceremony for Emile the crawfish in New Orleans on Tuesday.

“We will make this a tradition after Mardi Gras, the beginning of the crawfish season,” Nungesser said. “We will pardon the crawfish every year.”

Nungesser had a signed and sealed proclamation for Emile. He said the Tuesday after Mardi Gras will be known as the “annual pardoning on the crawfish.”

The Advertiser reports, Emilie, “shall be free from being served in any boil, etouffee, po’boy or dish imagined by any chef or Cajun, and shall be free from water any hotter than in the beautiful swamps and bayous of Louisiana.”