On May 5, the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission adopted a Notice of Intent (NOI) to create a rule regarding marking nets and traps in freshwater. The proposed rule mirrors the existing saltwater rule in Title 76 and would apply to gill nets, trammel nets, hoop nets, slat traps, and wire nets (passive gear) used in freshwater. The intent of this rule is to provide accountability for users’ gear and to have similar freshwater tagging requirements as neighboring states sharing border waters, such as the Mississippi River.

In the proposed rule, both freshwater and saltwater passive gear must either be marked with waterproof ink/paint on the buoy (if the gear has a buoy) or have a waterproof tag attached; markings shall include the full name of the user, as well as the user’s recreational/commercial license number. Gill and trammel nets must have buoys >6” long in international orange color attached to each end of the net. The buoys can also act as gear tags.

To view the full notice of intent, or to submit written comments relative to the proposed rule, contact Robby Maxwell, Inland Fisheries Section, 1213 N. Lakeshore Dr., Lake Charles, LA 70601, or via e-mail to: [email protected] prior to July 5, 2022. Following the public comment period, the Legislative Oversight Committees will have a 30-day period to review the amended rule and a summary of public comments provided by LDWF. If this rule is finalized, the amended regulations will be effective in the fall of 2022.