Captain Ray Mallett
Using his decades of knowledge of the waters to show where the shrimp population has changed.
Introducing The FACTS
The Fisherfamily Advisory Council for Tradition & Stewardship (FACTS) brings together coastal families, seafood workers, and cultural stewards to guide Habitat Recovery Project’s programs, legal strategies, and organizational practices regarding the preservation of our waters.
This council of 6 multi-generational fisherfolk and coastal families from Southwest Louisiana serves as a frontline voice for ecosystem and cultural preservation within Louisiana’s intergenerational fishing communities.
Learn More about LNG effects on Fisheries
How The FACTS Got Started…
The fisherfolk of Cameron Parish came together with a common question: Where did all the shrimp go? In seeking to answer this question, they have spoken to scientists and journalists from around the world. The FACTS is a group dedicated to finding the truth.
The FACTS on Community Science
In 2025, we started figuring out how to find the answers. Through partnerships with the American Geophysical Union, The FACTS started using hydrophones to study underwater noise pollution on fisheries. After seeing the invisible pollution from the LNG facilities in late 2024, the fisherfolk started looking for answers about what was in their air. In 2026, HRP and The FACTS are set to implement Air and Water Monitoring programs to get The FACTS.
Learn more about our 2026 Programs:
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Community Alliance for Tracking Cameron’s Habitats (CATCH)
Solomon Williams Jr, Commercial Oysterman, in Cameron, Louisiana.
Formerly the Seafood Capital of the USA, Cameron, Louisiana, now faces environmental degradation, declining fish stocks, and habitat loss.
The Community Alliance for Tracking Cameron’s Habitats (CATCH) seeks to empower fisherfolk to become community scientists to assess industrial impacts on their environment and fisheries. By equipping them with tools and skills for water quality monitoring and aquatic life stock assessments, the project bridges grassroots ecological knowledge with scientific data collection. This synergy will empower fisherfolk to engage in environmental advocacy and inform state and federal regulatory bodies effectively. The project aims to amplify community voices, validate their lived experiences, and foster sustainable practices in response to environmental and industrial challenges.
The project equips fishermen with the knowledge and skills for scientific data collection and interpretation.
Trip Ticket Data Analysis
Shrimp Stock Assessment
Oyster Stock Assessment
Water Quality Testing
Dredging Sediment Testing
By combining traditional ecological insights with scientific rigor, this initiative aims to enhance community resilience, foster environmental stewardship, and serve as a model for other underserved wetland communities.
We are proud to be working with The Community Resilience Center at The Water Institute’s Catalyst Program in developing CATCH.
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Community for Louisiana’s Enhanced Air Response (CLEAR)
Miguel Escoto, James Hiatt, Sharon Wilson, Ray Mallet, Stephanye Mallet, Alyssa Portaro, Justin Milkulka, Robyn Thigpen, Sage Franz, Misha Mayeur - Cameron, Louisiana
CLEAR in Cameron…
In August 2024, Venture Global LNG proposed permit extensions for air emissions in Cameron Parish. The community collectively said no to asthma, heart disease, and cancers associated with Venture Global’s emissions. It was not a surprise, as the proposed permits asked to allow up to a 1500% increase in emissions of toxic chemicals. Venture Global’s priorities were clear.
In that meeting, another thing became CLEAR:
Cameron’s community wanted more robust air monitoring.
In October of 2024, Habitat Recovery Project, along with For a Better Bayou, brought Oilfield Witness to Cameron. Sharon Wilson showed fisherfolk and community members the secret chemicals in the air that we cannot see.
The community was horrified.
From here, Habitat Recovery Project went to work, and in August of 2025, was awarded CLEAR, a community air monitoring grant from the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice. We are grateful for the opportunity to bring more data to the folks of Cameron Parish, who face one of the largest oil and gas buildouts of our lifetimes.
We look forward to having this data available publicly around the clock come January 2026.
Read more about our community science efforts here.
One stressor isn’t a mystery, however.
In Late July 2025, the dredging in preparation for CP2 breached containment, leaking hundreds of millions of gallons of water into Big Lake.
The fisherfolk of Cameron face extreme losses.