NOAA Fisheries is delaying the effective date of the final rule amending the definition of tow time and requiring the use of TEDs designed to exclude small sea turtles in their nets in skimmer trawls 40 feet in length and greater in the Southeastern U.S. shrimp fisheries until August 1,…
Educational materials are on their way to all permit holders and are available online NOAA Fisheries and the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Councils are implementing the new Southeast For-Hire Electronic Reporting Program in January 2021. The intent of the program is to provide more timely catch information…
The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission adopted a Notice of Intent (NOI) to modify commercial and recreational minimum size limits for cobia. The proposed changes would modify the existing rule on the minimum commercial and recreational size limits for cobia from 33 inches fork length to 36 inches fork length. …
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…
In an effort to strengthen sea turtle conservation efforts, NOAA Fisheries published a final rule to require all skimmer trawl vessels 40 feet and greater in length to use turtle excluder devices (TEDs) in their nets. A TED is a device that allows sea turtles to escape from trawl nets. …
The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council took final action on a framework action that considers modifying federal for-hire multi-day trip possession limits. The Council recommends allowing anglers on federal for-hire fishing trips that last longer than 30 hours to possess two daily bag or vessel limits at any time…
Prepared by Louisiana Sea Grant‘s Law & Policy program, this fact sheet details the requirements of the new ‘seafood labeling’ law, known more commonly as HB 335. WHAT IS HB 335? Governor John Bel Edwards signed HB 335 (enrolled as Act 372) into law on June 19, 2019. Act 372…
A rule to un-designate a portion of the Public Oyster Seed Grounds east of the Mississippi River has been finalized by publication in the Louisiana State Register. This action will not become effective until the first lottery phase of the oyster moratorium lifting process commences. Lifting the long-standing oyster lease…
The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council met last week in Destin, Florida. The following is a brief overview of what was accomplished: Data Collection Advisory Panel The Council populated its Data Collection Advisory Panel (AP) and created its charge. The charge is “To review and evaluate data collection and…
At its meeting this week in Biloxi, Mississippi, the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council took final action to modify the red grouper annual catch limits and annual catch targets. The Council chose to set the red grouper annual catch limits and annual catch targets based on landings from the…