LA Fisheries Forward

LWF Commission to Modify Reef Fish Harvest Regulations

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Gray triggerfish swimming along sea bottom

At its April meeting, the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission considered a Notice of Intent (NOI) to modify rules and regulations for the harvest of reef fish in Louisiana waters in order to establish consistency with federal regulations, providing a simplified regulatory framework for anglers.

Recreational Bag Limit Changes:

  • Reduction from 2 to no more than 1 gray triggerfish per person within the 20 fish aggregate limit. (Aggregate includes Vermilion snapper, lane snapper, gray triggerfish, almaco jack, goldface tilefish, and blueline tilefish).
  • Reduction from 4 to no more than 2 red grouper per person within the 4 grouper aggregate limit. (Aggregate includes speckled hind, black grouper, red grouper, snowy grouper, yellowedge grouper, yellowfin grouper, yellowmouth grouper, warsaw grouper, gag grouper, and scamp).
  • Reduction from 10 to no more than 5 mutton snapper per person within the 10 fish aggregate limit. (Aggregate includes queen, mutton, blackfin, cubera, gray, silk, yellowtail, snappers, and wenchman).

Commercial Trip Limit Changes:

  • Increase in commercial trip limit of gray triggerfish from 12 to 16 fish per trip.

Recreational Size Limit Changes:

  • Increase in size limit of hogfish from 12 to 14 inches fork length.
  • Increase in size limit of gray triggerfish from 14 to 15 inches fork length.
  • Increase in size limit of mutton snapper from 16 to 18 inches total length.

Commercial Size Limit Changes:

  • Increase in size limit of gray triggerfish from 14 to 15 inches fork length.
  • Increase in the size limit of mutton snapper from 16 to 18 inches total length.
  • Increase in size limit of gag grouper from 22 to 24 inches total length.

Recreational Season Changes:

  • The greater amberjack season will close from January 1 through April 30 and from November 1 through December 31 of each year in addition to the regularly scheduled June 1 through July 31 closure.
  • The gray triggerfish season will close from January 1 through the end of February each year in addition to the regularly scheduled June 1 through July 31 closure.

The full notice of intent is available here.

Interested persons may submit comments relative to the proposed rule to Jason Adriance via email to [email protected] prior to June 7, 2018.

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.