LDWF Clarifies Commercial Shad Regulations

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Photo of a typical landscape of the Atchafalaya River Basin

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries would like to clarify regulations pertaining to the commercial shad fishery.

Recent questions raised during the June Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission meeting indicated that a portion of the 2017 commercial fishing pamphlet may cause confusion regarding commercial shad harvest regulations. Although similar, shad seining and shad gill netting have different regulations.

Commercial shad gill netting is allowed only in Lake Palourde, Lake Verret, Lac Des Allemands, all waterways in Iberville Parish and certain portions of the Atchafalaya Basin. The gill netting season is closed beginning July 1 through the end of October and on all Saturdays and Sundays.

In addition, Act No. 109 of the 2017 regular session allows for the take of shad or skipjack using a shad gill net during the closed season and on Saturdays and Sundays for bait purposes only, with the following restrictions:

1.     The net shall not exceed 150 feet in length.

2.     No more than 50 pounds of shad or skipjack shall be taken per day.

3.     The net shall be attended at all times.

Commercial shad seining is allowed in all freshwater areas of the state, except the Pearl River and those water bodies where seine use is prohibited.  There is no closed season for commercial shad seining.

For a detailed explanation of regulations for each gear type, please reference pages 26 and 27 of our commercial regulations pamphlet. Additional details are available here:http://www.legis.la.gov/Legis/Law.aspx?d=206917,http://www.legis.la.gov/Legis/Law.aspx?d=206918 andhttp://www.legis.la.gov/Legis/ViewDocument.aspx?d=1051086.

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.