Today, May 7, 2020, two actions were taken to open the 2020 inshore and offshore shrimp season. The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission set the opening dates for the state inshore waters based on information provided by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) biologists and public comments. The…
The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council would like to gain a better understanding of greater amberjack in the Gulf of Mexico. It is seeking information from anglers and divers about what they have observed, including any “strange things,” that scientists and managers may need to know. Scientists are currently…
NOAA Fisheries announces a final rule modifying the greater amberjack commercial trip limit in the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) and adjusting the state/federal boundary of several areas for reef fish management. WHEN THIS RULE WILL TAKE EFFECT: Regulations will be effective May 14, 2020. WHAT THIS MEANS: The greater amberjack…
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries announced that the portion of state outside waters between Calliou Boca and the Atchafalaya River Ship Channel at Eugene Island shall reopen to shrimping at 12:00 p.m. (noon) on April 17, 2020. The area to open is defined as follows: The eastern boundary…
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) announced today that effective March 14 at 11:30p.m., commercial fishing for large coastal sharks in the aggregated large coastal and hammerhead groups (great hammerhead, scalloped hammerhead, smooth hammerhead, nurse shark, bull shark, lemon shark, sandbar shark, silky shark, spinner shark, and tiger…
WHAT/WHEN: The 2020 red snapper fishing season for vessels with federal for-hire reef fish permits is 62 days in federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf). The season for federally permitted for-hire vessels will begin at 12:01 a.m., local time, on June 1, 2020, and will close at 12:01…
KEY MESSAGE: NOAA Fisheries announces a final rule to maintain a reduced buffer between the recreational for hire component annual catch limit (ACL) and recreational annual catch target (ACT) for Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) red snapper. The reduced buffer would result in an increased ACT, which determines the length of…
KEY MESSAGE: • NOAA Fisheries announces an increase in the allowable amount of commercial shrimp trawl fishing effort in certain federal waters of the northern Gulf of Mexico. • The increased allowable effort represents a relative maximum increase in Gulf-wide shrimp fishing effort of 21 percent. However, there is no…
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) announced dates for public meetings to be held on spotted seatrout management. The most recent stock assessment indicated spotted seatrout are overfished and undergoing overfishing and changes are necessary in order to recover the stock. The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission…
Today, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) announced the commercial season for king mackerel in Louisiana waters will close at 12 p.m. (noon) on Friday, January 17, 2020. Each year, a commercial quota is established for Gulf of Mexico group king mackerel by the National Marine Fisheries Service…