The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission has set the opening dates for the fall inshore shrimp season based on information provided by Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries biologists, input from the Louisiana Shrimp Task Force, and public comments. Season openings are as follows: The portion of state inside waters…
Prepared by Louisiana Sea Grant‘s Law & Policy program, this fact sheet details the requirements of the new ‘seafood labeling’ law, known more commonly as HB 335. WHAT IS HB 335? Governor John Bel Edwards signed HB 335 (enrolled as Act 372) into law on June 19, 2019. Act 372…
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) continues to measure the impacts that the historic flooding event has had on the state’s crucial aquatic life. Last month, Gov. John Bel Edwards’ requested a federal fisheries disaster declaration which could provide financial assistance to any segment of Louisiana’s fishing industry…
Today, the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) announced the closure of oyster harvest areas 1, 2 and a portion of area 3. This is a precautionary closure due to low salinity levels negatively affecting oyster health. These particular areas occur in Lake Borgne, Mississippi Sound, and portions of the marsh…
The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission recently passed a resolution in response to the impacts of 2019 floodwaters on Louisiana’s fisheries. Water levels are expected to qualify this event as the longest flood fight in the state’s history. The resolution described the severity of the flood event and requested LDWF…
Since 2004, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, together with individual volunteers and organizations, has successfully removed and disposed of over 41,000 abandoned and derelict crabs. The removal of these crab traps is especially important to boating safety and crab harvesting efforts. Last year, LDWF, Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation…
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) announced the 2019 spring inshore shrimp season will close at 6 p.m. on Friday (June 28) from the Mississippi/Louisiana state line westward to the Louisiana/Texas state line except for the following waters: The open waters of the Louisiana portion of Mississippi Sound…
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards submitted a request to the U.S. Department of Commerce last week notifying the federal government that Louisiana’s fisheries are in a dire situation due to the extreme duration of high river levels. This year (2019) has been the wettest year on record in the Mississippi…
A rule to un-designate a portion of the Public Oyster Seed Grounds east of the Mississippi River has been finalized by publication in the Louisiana State Register. This action will not become effective until the first lottery phase of the oyster moratorium lifting process commences. Lifting the long-standing oyster lease…
In an effort to help fishermen understand a disaster declaration, the Louisiana Sea Grant Law & Policy Program has published ‘Disaster Declarations 101’. See below, or download Disaster Declarations 101 PDF. What does a disaster declaration mean? A disaster declaration is a tool that allows the federal government to provide…