The commercial fishery for gray triggerfish in Louisiana waters will close at 12:01 a.m. on November 18, 2017 and will remain closed until January 1, 2018.

The decision was made by Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Secretary Jack Montoucet, following notification by NOAA Fisheries that the Federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico will close for the commercial harvest of gray triggerfish from 12:01 a.m. November 18, 2017 until 12:01 a.m. January 1, 2018, and per a request from NOAA Fisheries.

Regulations for the gray triggerfish fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico include a commercial quota. Based on current commercial gray triggerfish landings, the 2017 commercial quota of 60,900 pounds is projected to be harvested by November 18, 2017.

After the closure, all commercial harvest, possession, purchase, barter, trade, sale or attempts to purchase, barter, trade or sell gray triggerfish is prohibited until 12:01 a.m., January 1, 2018, the date set for the opening of the 2018 season. The prohibition on sale/purchase of gray triggerfish during the closure does not apply to those that were harvested, landed ashore, and sold prior to the effective date of the closure and were held in cold storage by a dealer or processor provided appropriate records in accordance with R.S. 56:306.5 and 56:306.6 are properly maintained.

For more information contact Jason Adriance at 504/284-2032 ([email protected])

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is charged with managing and protecting Louisiana’s abundant natural resources. For more information, visit us at www.wlf.la.gov. To receive email alerts, signup at http://www.wlf.la.gov/signup.