Dozens of economic experts met at The Daily Advertiser Friday morning to discuss the economic state of Acadiana.

The meeting focused on the looming downturn of our economy because of recent spikes in unemployment, due to declining oil and gas industry.

Gregg Gothreaux, president of LEDA says the main focus of everyone at Friday’s roundtable discussion was finding a silver lining, “We have to make sure that people that lose their job in the oil industry can find a job somewhere else. Even if it’s down the road in Lake Charles for a period of time until our industry does come back,”

Gothreaux says more than 2,500 jobs have been lost because of the decline in the oil and gas industry he says it’s estimated that another 4,000 will fade in 2016.

Gus Rexende, owner of Jefferson Street Pub believes that other areas could balance things out, “Tourism, the culture, the entertainment in Lafayette could be one of the pillars that bring the economy, and keeps the economy stable but also creates new opportunity,”

Gothreaux added that evidence of a slight up-turn is showing through new developments like ambassador town center and technology firms, “There are jobs available—2,000 between the technology sector and the retail sector that could help off-set some of the decline we’re seeing in the oil and gas business,”

This meeting comes on the heels of Thursday’s retail job fair which attracted almost 3,000 job seekers.