LDWF sets 2016 recreational red
snapper season.
LA waters officially extended from 3 to 9 miles offshore for reef fish management
LDWF Secretary Robert Barham announced that the 2016 red snapper fishing season in state waters will begin
at 6:00 a.m. on January 8, 2016 and remain open until further notice. The season will run seven days a week in
state waters with a daily bag and possession limit of two fish per person at a 16-inch minimum total length.
“LDWF will do everything we can to provide our anglers the opportunity to harvest their share of this
healthy and thriving resource,” said Barham.
Assistant Secretary, Randy Pausina said, “Through LA Creel, our recreational landings data collection program,
we're able to monitor how much red snapper our anglers harvest in real time. With this data, we can ensure our
recreational fishery is fully accountable—we're able to set a fishing season that allows our anglers to harvest their
entire share of the catch but also close the season in time to prevent over harvest.”
Louisiana waters officially
extended from three to
nine miles offshore for reef
fish management
Recently signed into law, the
2016 Consolidated Appropriations Act
includes a provision to temporarily extend Louisiana state waters to nine
nautical miles for fishery management
purposes, an effort championed by
LDWF Secretary Robert Barham during his tenure at the agency.
Senator Richard Shelby, R-Alabama, added the provision to the Act to push
state waters for reef
fish management
in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama (currently
three miles) to
nine miles to
match the current
state water boundaries of Florida and
Texas. “We are grateful for
the additional provision by Senator Shelby and the recognition by
Congress of the nine-mile boundary
the State of Louisiana has claimed
since 2012,” said Secretary Barham.
“Because the 2016 Omnibus Appropriation Act applies to the current federal
fiscal year, the nine-mile extension is
only temporary. However, Congressman Garret Graves (R-LA) has proposed a more permanent solution
through H.R. 3094; he and his bill have
our agency’s full support.”
Secretary Barham worked
hand in hand with the Louisiana Wildlife
and Fisheries Commission and
Louisiana state legislators for years to
ensure Louisiana’s fishing boundaries
are equal with those of Texas and
Florida. In 2011, Louisiana state legislators passed Act 336, recognizing that
the Gulfward boundary of Louisiana’s
state waters historically consisted of
three marine leagues (9 nautical miles)
and designating that boundary to be
enforced by state law for the protection
and restoration of coastal lands, waters
and natural resources, and regulation
of activities affecting them.
Following the direction of our
state legislators and at the request of
Secretary Barham, the Commission officially extended state waters
from three nautical miles
offshore to nine nautical miles offshore
for fisheries management
purposes and for the
benefit
of
Louisiana fishermen. Secretary
Barham said, “I was
simply correcting an
injustice. If our Florida
and Texas neighbors fish a
nine-mile state boundary, so should
Louisiana fishermen. Unfortunately, it
has taken over three years for action
on this issue and that action is only
temporary. I look forward to the day that
all fishermen are treated equally across
the Gulf of Mexico.” Although this congressional action is only temporary, it is
a step forward for Louisiana fishermen
and is a direct result of Secretary
Barham’s continued vigilance on this
issue. “Louisiana fishermen will benefit
from improved access and more flexible management of the reef fish fishery
in the waters off Louisiana,” said LDWF
Assistant Secretary of Fisheries Randy
Pausina. “And without Secretary
Barham’s initial leadership claiming a
nine-mile state water boundary for our
fishermen, this would not have gained
the momentum it needed to be carried
through Congress,” said Billy Broussard, Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries
Commissioner.
Recreational
Offshore
Landing Permit
LDWF reminds anglers and charter
captains that they must have a Recreational Offshore Landing Permit to possess certain species, including red
snapper. They may obtain or renew the
permit, free of charge at rolp.wlf.la.gov.
Anglers and charter captains may
renew their permits up to 30 days prior
to expiration. They must have a valid
Louisiana fishing license number to obtain a permit; they may use their confirmation number for a temporary (trip)
permit.
Minors (under 16) are not required to
obtain a Recreational Offshore Landing
Permit. Customers on a paid-for-hire
charter trip also do not need this permit.
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife
and Fisheries is charged with managing and protecting Louisiana’s abundant natural resources. For more
information, visit us at www.wlf.la.gov
or www.FishLA.org. To receive recreational or commercial fishing email and
text
alerts,
signup
at
http://www.wlf.la.gov/signup.