A coalition of commercial fishers, fishing guides and seafood processors in southwest Louisiana filed a lawsuit on July 30 in the 38th Judicial District Court, alleging that Venture Global’s dredging activities for its second liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminal have devastated the local seafood industry.
Allegations and claimed losses
The plaintiffs, including Anthony “Tad” Theriot, say a dredging operation that began in early June 2025 caused a sediment spill that entered Calcasieu Lake. The spill, which the company later acknowledged, released between 9,000 and 18,000 cubic yards of sediment into a channel and marsh bordering the lake. According to the suit, the discharge killed millions of oysters and reduced catches of finfish, crabs and shrimp.
Theriot, who operates an oyster farm and fishing guide business, estimates his immediate losses at over $450,000 and expressed uncertainty about the recovery of his fishing grounds. “Best case scenario, they pay you for every year that they mess up and…then you get to go back fishing,” he said.
Timeline of the incident
In June 2025 dredging began to enlarge a channel near Calcasieu Lake to accommodate tankers for the planned CP2 terminal, a $30 billion project that would be Venture Global’s second LNG export facility in Cameron Parish. The following month a local crabber reported mud‑covered traps to Cameron Parish officials. In August, fishers captured video of muddy water pouring over a small dam directly into the southern part of Calcasieu Lake.
Venture Global initially denied that sediment had reached the lake, but later admitted the spill was “significant.” The company’s statement said the discharge occurred in August 2025 and that it has since worked with independent experts, state and federal regulators, community stakeholders and affected parties to develop mitigation and remediation plans.
Additional defendants and related lawsuits
The suit also names Venture Global’s dredging contractor, Callan Marine Ltd., and its engineering contractor, Providence Engineering and Environmental Group, as defendants. The Cameron Port, Harbor and Terminal District – the public agency that oversaw parts of the dredging operation and helped secure permits – is the fourth named defendant.
This filing follows at least two earlier legal actions related to the CP2 project. In November, the now‑closed Revival Oyster House in Lake Charles sued a supplier, Pig and Rooster Oyster Farms, after receiving dead and contaminated oysters. Pig and Rooster subsequently filed a third‑party claim against Venture Global, alleging the sediment spill damaged its oyster stock. In April, a judge ordered sediment testing of the dredge material against mud collected from the farm’s cages.
Impact on local oyster farms
David Sorrells, owner of Pig and Rooster Oyster Farms, estimates his losses at over $5 million, citing the loss of roughly 13 million oysters – a value ranging from $7 million to $13 million according to farmer‑provided pricing reports and a 2023 economic analysis by Louisiana Sea Grant.
Both Theriot and Sorrells invested heavily in equipment and oyster stock prior to the spill. Theriot had 750,000 oysters in the Alternative Oyster Culture (AOC) park at the time of the incident; Sorrells had 5.3 million. After the sediment entered the marsh, both men spent weeks hauling mud‑caked oysters from the lake, but none were sellable.
Company response
Venture Global did not comment directly on the lawsuit. In a written statement the company said the August 2025 discharge “contained a higher volume of sediment than anticipated” and that it has been working with experts and regulators on mitigation efforts.
The lawsuit seeks damages for dead and diminished catch, equipment losses and the continued presence of murky water in the estuary and fishing grounds.
Original reporting: Alexandria, VA News – WTOP News — read the source article.
