Request for Comments on Re-evaluation of:

Amendment II to the Louisiana Artificial Reef Plan: Special Artificial Reef Sites               

(SARS Amendment II.pdf) current version

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries (LDWF) is responsible for developing, maintaining, and monitoring Louisiana artificial reefs.  The Artificial Reef Plan developed in 1987 (Artificial Reef Plan) and its amendments provide guidance in artificial reef development.   Amendment II to the Louisiana Artificial Reef Plan allows for the establishment of artificial reefs outside the nine artificial reef planning areas known as Special Artificial Reef Sites (SARS). 

At the request of the Artificial Reef Council (ARC), LDWF is re-evaluating the SARS amendment and SARS proposal evaluation process.

LDWF has put together a proposed revised SARS Amendment and supporting documents illustrating proposed changes to the SARS evaluation process (Proposed Revised SARS Amendment.pdf).  The flowchart (Proposed SARS Flowchart.pdf) illustrates the pathway for a SARS donation which includes several SARS proposal evaluation checkpoints, public comment periods, and an Advisory Committee composed of representatives from Gulf of Mexico users (Potential SARS Advisory Committee.pdf).

In addition, LDWF has proposed general criteria (Proposed General Criteria for SARS.pdf) and detailed criteria (Proposed Criteria for evaluating SARS.pdf) for evaluating a SARS proposal and a questionnaire (Proposed SARS Questionaire.pdf) to assist in gathering the necessary information.

LDWF is soliciting comments regarding the proposed changes to SARS Amendment II through April 30, 2009. 

Comments can be sent to:

Doug Peter
Artificial Reef Coordinator
Attn: SARS Comments
LA Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
PO Box 98000
Baton Rouge, LA 70898

Or

Email: dpeter@wlf.la.gov  subject: SARS Comments