Due to the impacts of hurricanes Laura and Delta, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) is extending the application deadline by a month for the $14.6 million in financial assistance available to Louisiana’s fishing industry hurt financially by the COVID-19 pandemic. The original deadline was 11:59 p.m. Oct….
Gov. John Bel Edwards announced today a $250,000 program that will pay part of the cost shrimp fishermen will have to pay for mandated devices to protect sea turtles and other animals from getting trapped in their nets. The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries will operate the Skimmer Turtle…
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries will soon begin accepting applications for $14.6 million in financial assistance that will be available to Louisiana fishermen and others in the industry who have been financially affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The funds are part of the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and…
Hurricane Laura made landfall near Cameron, Louisiana, as a Category 4 hurricane on August 27, 2020. NOAA Fisheries has determined that catastrophic conditions exist in the following Texas counties and Louisiana Parishes: Orange, Jefferson, Chambers, Harris, and Galveston Counties, and Saint Tammany, Orleans, Saint Bernard, Plaquemines, Jefferson, Saint Charles, Lafourche, Terrebonne,…
Recreational harvest of gray triggerfish in federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) will reopen at 12:01 am, local time, on September 1, 2020, and close at 12:01 am, local time, on October 26, 2020. Recreational harvest will reopen in the Gulf for the 2021 fishing season at 12:01 am,…
NOAA Fisheries has published a final rule to modify reporting requirements for the owners or operators of vessels with Charter Vessel/Headboat federal permits for Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) reef fish or Gulf coastal migratory pelagics. WHEN THE RULE WILL TAKE EFFECT: The final rule will be effective on January 5,…
NOAA Fisheries announces federal waters from 9 to 200 nautical miles off Texas will open to shrimp trawling beginning 30 minutes after official sunset, local time, on July 15, 2020, corresponding to the time Texas opens its waters to shrimp trawling. WHY THIS IS HAPPENING: The waters off Texas are closed to shrimp…
The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council met virtually June 15 – 18, 2020. The following is a brief overview of what was accomplished. Fishing Access and Possession Allowances in Madison-Swanson and Steamboat Lumps Marine Protected Areas The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council took final action on a document…
This final rule allows eligible historical captains the opportunity to replace their historical captain permits with standard federal charter/headboat for-hire permits for the reef fish and coastal migratory pelagic fisheries. An eligible captain is one that had a valid, non-expired, or renewable historical captain permit as of October 25, 2018,…
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…