The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission has set the opening date for the Louisiana fall shrimp season for Friday, August 18 at 6 a.m. The date was selected based on information provided by Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries biologists and public comments.

The Commission granted authority to the secretary of the department to delay these opening dates if biological and technical data indicate the need to do so; and, to close any portion of Louisiana’s inside waters to protect small juvenile white shrimp if biological and technical data indicate the need to do so, or enforcement problems develop.  He is also granted the authority to close shrimping in state outside waters to protect sublegal size white shrimp and to reopen any area closed to shrimping when the closure is no longer necessary.

The secretary is further granted the authority to open any area, or reopen any previously closed area, and to open and close special shrimp seasons in any portion of state waters.

Tow Time Regulations Reminder

Federal Turtle Excluder Device (TED) regulations require skimmer net fishermen to limit tow times. Maximum tow times are 55 minutes from April 1 through October 31 and increase to 75 minutes from November 1 through March 31.

For more information, contact Jeffrey Marx (337) 373-0032 or [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 atwww.wlf.la.gov. To receive email alerts, signup at http://www.wlf.la.gov/signup.