SALTWATER RECREATIONAL REGULATIONS

2010 Recreational Fishing Regulations (DRAFT)

Recreational Shrimping Information

Recreational Trawling: Recreational shrimping seasons follow the same seasonal framework as commercial open and closed seasons. See specific regulations for Wildlife Management Areas regarding access, limits, and seasons.

Recreational Cast net: See specific regulations for Wildlife Management Areas regarding access, limits, and seasons.

Recreational harvest on public oyster grounds is limited by the same seasonal framework as commercial open and closed seasons. Se the Commercial Saltwater Seasons page for further information. Oyster harvest is not allowed from un-leased water bottoms outside of the public oyster grounds. See specific regulations for Wildlife Management Areas regarding access, limits, and seasons. Harvest from leased water bottoms is only allowed with the written permission of the lease holder, from waters that are designated as open for shellfish harvest by the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals Seafood Sanitation Section.

This is a brief synopsis of the creel, size, and other limits for recreational harvest of saltwater finfish. For more specific information, see the annual Louisiana Recreational Fishing Regulations pamphlet.

STATE CREEL AND SIZE LIMITS

Unless otherwise established, there are no size limits on species not listed and unless otherwise noted, possession limits for saltwater fish are the same as the daily bag limit.

NOTICE TO OFFSHORE FISHERMEN

Louisiana recreational and commercial anglers fishing offshore beyond the Louisiana boundary are in federal waters and are subject to rules and regulations that may differ from those in state waters. To ensure that you are in compliance with federal regulations, you should contact the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council at (813) 348-1630, toll free 1-888-833-1844 (write 2203 N. Lois Avenue, Suite 1100, Tampa, FL 33607 for informational pamphlet, e-mail: gulf.council@noaa.gov ; website: www.gulfcouncil.org ). All persons possessing fish in Louisiana waters must be in possession of applicable basic or saltwater license.

Contact your local Wildlife and Fisheries Enforcement Agent for specific information: Baton Rouge (225) 765-2999, Minden (318) 371-3049, Monroe (318) 362-2417, Alexandria (318) 487-5634, Ferriday (318) 757-3072, Lake Charles (337) 491-2580, Opelousas (337) 948-0257, Slidell/New Orleans (504) 284-2023, New Iberia (337) 373-0032, or Thibodaux (985) 447-0821.

COMMON COASTAL SPECIES

Seatrout, Spotted (Speckled Trout): 12 inches minimum total length. 25 fish per person daily bag limit. EXCEPT: 15 fish daily take and possession limit, with no more than two spotted seatrout exceeding 25 inches total length, regardless of where taken, in a defined area of Cameron and Calcasieu Parishes in southwestern Louisiana.

Within the area described here, of the daily take and possession limit of 15 spotted seatrout, no person shall possess, regardless of where taken, more than two spotted seatrout exceeding 25 inches total length, which are considered part of the daily bag and possession limit. These regulations apply to the area of the state, including coastal territorial waters, south of Interstate 10 from its junction at the Texas-Louisiana boundary eastward to its junction with Louisiana Highway 171, south to Highway 14, and then south to Holmwood, and then south on Highway 27 through Gibbstown south to Louisiana Highway 82 at Creole and south on Highway 82 to Oak Grove and then due south to the western shore of the Mermentau River, following this shoreline south to the junction with the Gulf of Mexico, and then due south to the limit of the state territorial sea.


Cobia (ling or lemon fish): Two fish per person. 33 inches minimum fork length.

Mackerel, King: Two fish per person. 24 inches minimum fork length.
See note** at the end of this section.

Mackerel, Spanish: 15 fish per person. 12 inches minimum fork length.
See note** at the end of this section.

HIGHLY MIGRATORY SPECIES***

Billfish: For purposes of this section,the following words and phrases have the meaning ascribed to them in this subsection, unless the context clearly shows a different meaning:

Saltwater Recreational Fishing State Creel and Size Limits

• Dressed weight: weight of the carcass after it has been gutted,headed and finned.
• Carcass Length: curved measure from posterior edge of gill opening to anterior portion of caudal keel.
• Lower Jaw Fork Length (LJFL): straight-line length from the tip of the lower jaw to the fork of the tail.
• Curved Fork Length (CFL): tip of upper jaw to fork of tail measured along the contour of the middle of the body.
• Trip: a fishing trip, regardless of the number of days duration, that begins with departure from a dock, berth, beach, seawall or ramp and that terminates with return to a dock, berth, beach, seawall or ramp.

Marlin, Blue: 99 inches minimum LJFL.

Marlin, White: 66 inches minimum LJFL.

Sailfish: 63 inches minimum LJFL.

Swordfish: 29 inches carcass minimum length or 33 pounds minimum dressed weight. Recreational fishing vessels shall not possess more than five swordfish per vessel per trip. Swordfish taken under a recreational bag limit shall not be sold, purchased, exchanged, bartered, or attempted to be sold, purchased, exchanged or bartered. No person aboard any vessel shall transfer or cause the transfer of swordfish between vessels on state or federal waters.

Tuna: Person subject to the jurisdiction of the state, fishing for tunas within or without Louisiana statewaters, are subject to both state and federal laws, rules and regulations. Federal regulations on recreational harvest of tunas change often, especially for bluefin tuna. Prior to harvest of tuna, be aware of the most current federal regulations on harvest, including sizes, bag limits and closed seasons. The "Atlantic Tunas Regulations Brochure" is available at http://www.nmfspermits.com/library.asp and announcements of changes may be accessed via the web at http://www.nmfspermits.com/newes.asp.

All bluefin tuna must be reported within 24 hours of landing to NMFS by calling (888) 872-8862 or accessing the www.hmspermits.govwebsite. For further information regarding angling category permits please call the Northeast Regional Office HMS Division at (978) 281-9260. Following are permanent Louisiana regulations on tuna harvest,which may be superseded by seasonal changes within the federal regulatory system. See websites referenced above for current federal regulations.

Tuna, Yellowfin: 27 inches minimum CFL. Three fish per person daily bag and possession limit.

Tuna, Bigeye: 27 inches minimum CFL.

Tuna, Bluefin: 27 inches minimum CFL.

Shark: Closed Season- All Louisiana State waters out to the seaward boundary of the Louisiana Territorial Sea shall be closed to the recreational and commercial harvest and possession of all sharks between April 1 and June 30 of each year.

Atlantic Sharpnose and Bonnethead: The aggregate daily take and possession limit for recreationally caught Atlantic Sharpnose and Bonnethead sharks within or without Louisiana waters shall be one fish per person per trip and in possession.

Other Sharks: The aggregate daily take and possession limit for all "Small Coastal," "Large Coastal" and "Pelagic" sharks combined, caught recreationally within or without Louisiana waters, shall be one fish per vessel per trip and in possession with a 54 inch minimum fork length, except that there is no minimum length limit on bonnethead shark and Atlantic sharpnose. Recreational harvesters may not take sandbar or silky shark from the "Large Coastal" species group.

Small Coastal Sharks - Atlantic sharpnose shark, bonnethead shark, blacknose shark, finetooth shark

Large Coastal Sharks - blacktip shark, nurse shark, smooth hammerhead, bull shark, sandbar shark, spinner shark, great hammerhead, scalloped hammerhead, tiger shark, lemon shark, silky shark

Pelagic Sharks - blue shark, porbeagle shark, thresher shark, oceanic whitetip shark, shortfin mako

Prohibited Species - No person shall take, possess, purchase, sell, barter, exchange or attempt to possess, purchase, sell, barter, or exchange any of the following species or parts thereof: Atlantic angel shark, Caribbean sharpnose shark, sand tiger shark, basking shark, dusky shark, sevengill shark, bigeye sand tiger shark, Galapagos shark, sixgill shark, bigeye sixgill shark, largetooth sawfish smalltail shark, bigeye thresher shark, longfin mako smalltooth sawfish bignose shark, narrowtooth shark, whale shark, Caribbean reef shark, night shark, white shark.

Sharks taken under a recreational bag limit shall not be sold, purchased, exchanged, bartered, or attempted to be sold, purchased, exchanged or bartered. A person subject to a bag limit shall not possess at any time, regardless of the number of trips or the duration of a trip, any shark in excess of the bag limits mentioned above. The practice of "finning," that is, removing only the fins and returning the remainder of the shark to the sea, is prohibited within and outside Louisiana waters. Notwithstanding other provisions of this part, a person may fish for, but not retain, white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) with rod and reel only under a catch and release program, provided the person releases and returns such fish to the sea immediately with a minimum of injury.

REEF FISH

For a person on board a vessel to fish for or possess Gulf reef fish in the Gulf EEZ, the vessel must possess on board and such person must use the gear as specified below.

a. Non-Stainless Steel Circle Hooks. Non-stainless steel circle hooks are required when fishing with natural baits for reef fish.

b. Dehooking Device. At least one dehooking device is required and must be used to remove hooks embedded in Gulf reef fish with minimum damage. The hook removal device must be constructed to allow the hook to be secured and the barb shielded without re-engaging during the removal process. The dehooking end must be blunt, and all edges rounded. The device must be of a size appropriate to secure the range of hook sizes and styles used in the Gulf reef fish fishery.

c. Venting Tool. At least one venting tool is required and must be used to deflate the swim bladders of Gulf reef fish to release the fish with minimum damage. This tool must be a sharpened, hollow instrument, such as a hypodermic syringe with the plunger removed, or a 16-gauge needle fixed to a hollow wooden dowel. A tool such as a knife or an ice-pick may not be used. The venting tool must be inserted into the fish at a 45-degree angle approximately 1 to 2 inches (2.54 to 5.08 cm) from the base of the pectoral fin. The tool must be inserted just deep enough to release the gases, so that the fish may be released with minimum damage.

Information on use of these tools can be obtained from information provided by Florida Sea Grant and Mote Marine Lab at: http://catchandrelease.org

Groupers: Five fish per person per day bag limit in aggregate, all groupers, excluding Jewfish and Nassau grouper, with not more than one red grouper per person and two gag per person included in the bag limit and with not more than one speckled hind and one warsaw grouper per vessel. Two day limit allowed in possession only on charter vessels and headboats as described below under "Red Snapper." Size limits also apply to the following species:

Black: 22 inches minimum total length.

Gag: 22 inches minimum total length.

Red: 20 inches minimum total length.

Yellowfin: 20 inches minimum total length.

Scamp: 16 inches minimum total length.

Goliath (formerly called jewfish): Taking or possessing jewfish is prohibited within or outside the waters of Louisiana.

Nassau: Taking or possessing Nassau grouper is prohibited within or outside the waters of Louisiana.

NOTE: A closed season has been established for recreational harvest of scamp and red grouper, effective February 15 through March 14 of each year. A closed season for recreational harvest of gag is established to run from February 1 through March 31.

Snappers:

Snapper, Red**: Two fish per person. 16 inches minimum total length. The captain and crew of vessels under charter have a creel limit of zero A federal recreational quota for red snapper is in effect. For red snapper season information check the LDWF website at www.wlf.louisiana.gov/fishing/recreational/seasons.