LA Fisheries Forward

LDWF Plans Four Crab Trap Closures Along Louisiana Coast

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People returning derlict crab traps

Since 2004, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF), together with individual volunteers and organizations, has successfully removed and disposed of over 45,000 abandoned and derelict crab traps. The removal of these crab traps is especially important to boating safety and crab harvesting efforts. Last year, LDWF, Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation members and volunteers, Jean Lafitte Harbor, students from several universities, Louisiana Sea Grant, LSU AgCenter, the American Daughters of Conservation, Fenstermaker, the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana (CRCL), Cameron Parish Port Harbor and Terminal District, Coastal Conservation Association (CCA), and members of the recreational and commercial fishing community assisted in retrieving more than 4,100 abandoned crab traps.

The efforts and successes of the derelict crab trap program speak for themselves, with the removal of more than 20,500 derelict traps over the past five years.  After the continued success of this program, the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission (LWFC) and LDWF continue to keep up the momentum by scheduling four closure areas for 2021.

At today’s meeting, the LWFC adopted a Notice of Intent (NOI) allowing the removal of derelict crab traps along Louisiana’s coast in 2021 from the four following described areas:

1.    The first closure will take place in the Pontchartrain Basin, in an area west of Delacroix to the Mississippi River, from 12 a.m. Monday, February 1, 2021, through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, February 14, 2021.

2.    The second closure will take place in the Terrebonne Basin, in an area west of Bayou Lafourche, from 12 a.m. Monday, February 1, 2021, through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, February 14, 2021.

3.    The third closure will take place in the Vermilion Basin, in an area in East Cote Blanche Bay, from 12 a.m. Monday, February 1, 2021, through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, February 14, 2021.

4.    The fourth closure will take place in the Pontchartrain Basin, in an area east of Delacroix to the MRGO, from 12 a.m. Monday, February 22, 2021, through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, March 7, 2021.

 

1. Pontchartrain Basin Crab Trap Removal

The use of crab traps shall be prohibited for a 14-day period from 12:00 a.m. February 1, 2021 through 11:59 p.m. February 14, 2021:

  • From a point originating along the eastern shoreline of the Mississippi River at 29 degrees 46 minutes 30.00 seconds north latitude, 90 degrees 01 minutes 03.51 seconds west longitude; thence easterly along 29 degrees 46 minutes 30.00 seconds north latitude to its intersection with the eastern bank of Bayou Terre Aux Boeufs at 29 degrees 46 minutes 30.00 seconds north latitude, 89 degrees 46 minutes 58.76 seconds west longitude; thence southerly along the eastern bank of Bayou Terre Aux Boeufs to 29 degrees 41 minutes 15.19 seconds north latitude, 89 degrees 38 minutes 00.00 seconds west longitude; thence southerly along 89 degrees 38 minutes 00.00 seconds west longitude to 29 degrees 34 minutes 12.00 seconds north latitude, 89 degrees 38 minutes 00.00 seconds west longitude; thence westerly along 29 degrees 34 minutes 12.00 seconds north latitude to 29 degrees 34 minutes 12.00 seconds north latitude, 89 degrees 42 minutes 36.00 seconds west longitude; thence southerly along 89 degrees 42 minutes 36.00 seconds west longitude to its intersection with the eastern bank of the Mississippi River at 29 degrees 30 minutes 51.57 seconds north latitude, 89 degrees 42 minutes 36.24 seconds west longitude; thence northerly along the eastern bank of the Mississippi River to its point of origin.

2. Terrebonne Basin Crab Trap Removal

The use of crab traps shall be prohibited for a 14-day period from 12:00 a.m. February 1, 2021 through 11:59 p.m. February 14, 2021:

  • From a point originating on the eastern shore of Bayou Lafourche at 29 degrees 26 minutes 09.67 seconds north latitude, 90 degrees 17 minutes 52.32 seconds west longitude, thence due west to the southwestern most point of the Pointe Aux Chenes Wildlife Management Area at 29 degrees 26 minutes 09.67 seconds north latitude, 90 degrees 19 minutes 32.14 seconds west longitude, thence westerly following the southern boundary of the Pointe Aux Chenes Wildlife Management Area to its intersection with the western shore of Bayou Pointe Aux Chenes (29 degrees 26 minutes 49.37 seconds north latitude, 90 degrees 27 minutes 53.44 seconds west longitude), thence southerly along the western shore of Bayou Pointe Aux Chenes to the point where Bayou Point Aux Chenes exits between Lake Raccourci and Lake Felicity (29 degrees 15 minutes 55.48 seconds north latitude, 90 degrees 23 minutes 47.39 seconds west longitude), thence easterly to a point on the eastern shoreline of Bayou Pointe Aux Chenes (29 degrees 15 minutes 55.66 seconds north latitude, 90 degrees 23 minutes 46.76 seconds west longitude, thence easterly along the shoreline to a point at 29 degrees 15 minutes 52.74 seconds north latitude, 90 degrees 23 minutes 01.97 seconds west longitude, thence due south to Timbalier-Terrebonne Bay Light #23 (29 degrees 09 minutes 37.26 seconds north latitude, 90 degrees 22 minutes 58.17 seconds west longitude), thence southeasterly following the buoy line through Havoline Canal to a point on the eastern shore of Bayou Lafourche (29 degrees 09 minutes 40.54 seconds north latitude, 90 degrees 13 minutes 57.34 seconds west longitude), thence northerly following Bayou Lafourche to its point of origin.

 

3. Vermilion Basin Crab Trap Removal

The use of crab traps shall be prohibited for a 14-day period from 12:00 a.m. February 1, 2021 through 11:59 p.m. February 14, 2021:

  • From a point originating at Point Marone (29 degrees 38 minutes 03.42 seconds north latitude, 91 degrees 38 minutes 44.07 seconds west longitude), thence southwesterly to East Point on Marsh Island (29 degrees 34 minutes 06.06 seconds north latitude, 91 degrees 42 minutes 31.15 seconds west longitude), southerly along the eastern shore of Marsh Island to South Point (29 degrees 29 minutes 25.55 seconds north latitude, 91 degrees 46 minutes 07.56 seconds west longitude), thence northeasterly to Point Chevreuil (29 degrees 31 minutes 37.85 seconds north latitude, 91 degrees 32 minutes 21.91 seconds west longitude), thence northerly and westerly along the north shore of East Cote Blanche Bay to its point of origin.

4. Pontchartrain Basin Crab Trap Removal

The use of crab traps shall be prohibited for a 14-day period from 12:00 a.m. February 22, 2021 through 11:59 p.m. March 7, 2021:

  • From a point located where Bayou La Loutre and Bayou Terre Aux Boeufs intersect at 29 degrees 50 minutes 31.70 seconds north latitude, 89 degrees 45 minutes 47.19 seconds west longitude, thence westerly to the western shore of Bayou Terre Aux Boeufs (29 degrees 50 minutes 31.57 seconds north latitude, 89 degrees 45 minutes 47.65 seconds west longitude), thence southerly following the western bank of Bayou Terre Aux Boeufs to 29 degrees 40 minutes 28.34 seconds north latitude, 89 degrees 36 minutes 18.00 seconds west longitude, thence north along 89 degrees 36 minutes 18.00 seconds west longitude to a point located in Grand Pass, between Lake Jean Louis Robin and Lake Coquille (29 degrees 43 minutes 48.00 seconds north latitude, 89 degrees 36 minutes 18.00 seconds west longitude), thence east along 29 degrees 43 minutes 48.00 seconds north latitude to its intersection with the western shore of the MRGO (29 degrees 43 minutes 48.06 seconds north latitude, 89 degrees 28 minutes 05.96 seconds west longitude), thence northwesterly along the western shore of the MRGO to its intersection with the northern shore of Bayou La Loutre, thence westerly following the northern shore of Bayou La Loutre to its point of origin.

All crab traps remaining in the closed area during the specified period will be considered abandoned.

In the weeks leading up to the closure, LDWF will mail notices to all commercial crab trap license holders and crab buyers within the affected parishes as well as non-resident licensed crab fishermen who landed blue crab within the previous year from Louisiana waters.

These proposed trap removal regulations do not provide authorization for access to private property. Authorization to access private property can only be provided by individual landowners.

Crab traps may be removed only between one half-hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. Only LDWF or those designated by LDWF will be authorized to remove derelict crab traps in the closure areas. Abandoned traps must be brought to LDWF designated disposal sites and may not be taken from the closed area unless otherwise specified by the LWFC.

Please click here to view maps of the designated closure areas

Interested persons may submit written comments relative to the proposed rule to Peyton Cagle, Marine Fisheries Biologist DCL-B, Marine Fisheries Section, 1213 N. Lakeshore Dr., Lake Charles, LA 70601, or via e-mail to: [email protected] prior to September 16, 2019.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is charged with managing and protecting Louisiana’s abundant natural resources. LDWF receives no state general funding and depends on license sales as a major funding source.  Help us protect your hunting and fishing heritage while preserving habitat, wildlife, and aquatic resources by purchasing your license at www.wlf.la.gov. To receive email or text alerts signup here.