News

Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary Adds 14 Additional Reefs

reef fish swimming in Flower Banks; photo from NOAA

The 14 additional reefs and banks are officially part of Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary (FGBNMS). As of March 22, 2021, FGBNMS encompasses 17 reefs and banks located approximately 80-125 miles off the coasts of Texas and Louisiana. These banks are a combination of small underwater mountains, ridges, troughs, and…

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Commercial Fishing For Aggregated Large Coastal And Hammerhead Sharks Closed

hooks on a basket

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) announced today that effective March 10 at 11:30p.m., commercial fishing for large coastal sharks in the aggregated large coastal and hammerhead groups (great hammerhead, scalloped hammerhead, smooth hammerhead, nurse shark, bull shark, lemon shark, sandbar shark, silky shark, spinner shark, and tiger…

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NOAA Fisheries Continues Weekly For-Hire Reporting Webinars

school of tuna in blue water

NOAA Fisheries’ Southeast Regional Office will host weekly question and answer webinar sessions to assist participants with program information and compliance. WHEN: The webinars are scheduled for Tuesday evenings starting at 6:30 PM, EST, from March 2 to March 30, 2021. The webinar will continue each Tuesday evening for as…

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Register for Additional Skimmer Turtle Excluder Device Reimbursement Program (STEDRP) Webinars

fishing boat at sea

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) has scheduled additional required webinars for shrimpers who would like to receive Turtle Excluder Device reimbursement funds. On April 1, 2021, skimmer vessels 40 feet in length and over will be required by federal law to install turtle excluder devices (TEDs). The…

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The DESCEND Act of 2020 will go into effect in January 2022

photo of red snapper with barotrauma on descending device

The Direct Enhancement of Snapper Conservation and the Economy through Novel Devices Act of 2020 (DESCEND Act of 2020) was signed into law on January 13, 2021. The new Act will require commercial and recreational vessels (including for-hire) to have a venting tool or descending device rigged and ready to…

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