Commercial Fishing

LDWF Commercial Fishing License and Trip Ticket Staff Announce Locations and Dates

Shrimper James Blanchard pulling in shrimp net

Beginning next month, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries will offer new or renewal commercial fishing licenses and boat registration transactions at field offices. Additionally, trip ticket staff will be present to train new or existing seafood dealers on the process of filling out trip tickets, to answer questions…

Read More

Louisiana Shrimp Season to Close February 25 in Remaining State Inshore Waters

shrimp boat

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries announced that the 2023 fall inshore shrimp season will close at official sunset on Sunday, February 25, 2024, in the remaining state inside waters, except for the following: The open waters of Breton and Chandeleur Sound as bounded by the double-rig line described…

Read More

Fall Inshore Shrimp Season to Close in a Portion of State Waters

shrimp in ice Louisiana

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries announces that the 2023 fall inshore shrimp season will close as follows: The portion of Zone 1 from the Mississippi/Louisiana state line westward to the eastern shore of South Pass of the Mississippi River to close at official sunset on February 2, 2024,…

Read More

Louisiana Shrimp Season to Close January 15 in a Portion of State Outside Waters

shrimp boat at work

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries announced the 2023 fall shrimp season will close at official sunset on Monday, January 15, 2024, in the following portions of the state’s outside waters: Outside waters between Caillou Boca and Freshwater Bayou Canal.  The eastern boundary line originates on the northwest shore…

Read More

Commercial Large Coastal Sharks Possession Limit Will Increase to 55 Sharks When Season Opens Jan 1

blacktip shark

Officials with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries announced the daily possession limit for commercially harvested large coastal sharks (great hammerhead, scalloped hammerhead, smooth hammerhead, nurse shark, blacktip shark, bull shark, lemon shark, sandbar shark, silky shark, spinner shark, and tiger shark) is increasing from 45 to 55 per…

Read More

REMINDER: LDWF to Hold Commercial Fishing License Sales at Select Offices LDWF

image of fishing net laying on a dock

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries will offer new or renewal commercial fishing licenses and boat registration transactions at the following locations: Lake Charles Office 1025 Tom Watson Rd. Lake Charles, LA Nov. 27 & 28 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Lafayette Office 200 Dulles Drive Lafayette, LA Nov….

Read More

LDWF Announces Commercial Fishing License Sale Locations and Dates

image of fishing net laying on a dock

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries will offer new or renewal commercial fishing licenses and boat registration transactions at the following locations: Lake Charles Office 1025 Tom Watson Rd. Lake Charles, LA Nov. 27 & 28 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Lafayette Office 200 Dulles Drive Lafayette, LA Nov….

Read More

Reminder: Flounder Season Set to Close October 15 to November 30 for Commercial and Recreational Sectors

several flounder in ice chest

The annual closed season for the recreational and commercial harvest of Southern Flounder, from October 15 through November 30 of each year, is approaching. This statewide closure for Southern Flounder is for all sectors and all gear types, including any flounder caught as bycatch in any other fishery.  Exemptions that…

Read More

LDWF Plans Six Crab Trap Closures Along Louisiana Coast for 2024

People returning derlict crab traps

At today’s meeting, the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission (LWFC) adopted a Notice of Intent (NOI) allowing the removal of derelict crab traps along Louisiana’s coast in 2024 from the six following described areas: The first closure will occur in the Pontchartrain Basin, between southern Lake Borgne and the eastern…

Read More

Louisiana’s Fishing Disaster Determination Wins Federal Support

Louisiana commercial fishing

Today, Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo announced that the agency supports Louisiana’s request that a fishing disaster be declared for portions of the state’s saltwater finfish, oyster, and shrimping industries due to revenue losses caused by the 2020 hurricanes. The announcement, made in concert with the National Oceanic and…

Read More