Hungry? Crawfish Boils are Now Legal in Colorado

Get out your stockpot and spices, crawfish boils are now legal in the Centennial State.

It turns out that if you’ve been noshing on crawfish before this year in Colorado, it was illegal. A law that went into effect Jan. 1 now legalizes the import, transport, and possession of Louisiana crawfish for human consumption, Colorado Parks and Wildlife announced.

The wildlife agency said it didn’t know Coloradoans had such an appetite for the freshwater crustaceans until early 2023, spurring an investigation into the illegal crawfish market in Colorado. 

“After further investigation, it was discovered that illegal imports of live red swamp crayfish had been occurring for years, if not decades, with most importers unaware they were breaking the law,” the agency said. 

The red swamp crayfish – also called mudbugs and crawdads – remain illegal to release in the wild or to use as bait. Other crawfish species remain illegal. 

“For many, spring crawfish boils are an important family and community event,” the department said.

Above is a good starter recipe for doing your own crawfish boil wherever you are. Enjoy!