COMMISSION APPROVES ADDITIONAL OYSTER SEASON IN SISTER LAKE

Release Date: 10/02/2008

The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission recently approved an additional oyster season in the Sister Lake Public Oyster Seed Reservation.  This season will open at one-half hour before sunrise on Monday, Oct. 13, 2008 and close at one-half hour after sunset on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2008 in that area of Sister Lake south and east of a line with the following coordinates:

1. 29 degrees 12 minutes 50.56 seconds N latitude
90 degrees 56 minutes 53.54 seconds W longitude

2. 29 degrees 15 minutes 06.06 seconds N latitude
90 degrees 55 minutes 17.93 seconds W longitude

3. 29 degrees 15 minutes 20.89 seconds N latitude
90 degrees 54 minutes 01.51 seconds W longitude

Additionally, an area of the Sister Lake Public Oyster Seed Reservation north of the Department of Health and Hospitals' 2007 November-February seasonal classification line shall then open one-half hour before sunrise on Oct. 20, 2008 and shall close one-half hour after sunset on Oct. 24, 2008.  The area within the Sister Lake Public Oyster Seed Reservation which lies between the two lines described above shall remain closed.
During these additional seasons, the following provisions will be in effect:

1. The daily take and possession limit shall be no more than 50 sacks of oysters per vessel, although this limit does not apply to those vessels harvesting seed oysters for bedding purposes.

2. Vessels are prohibited from harvesting oysters for market (sacking) and harvesting oysters for bedding purposes on the same day.

3. If a vessel is harvesting on the public oyster seed reservation, all oysters on board that vessel are deemed to have been taken from the reservation.
4.  All oysters harvested for market (sacking) must be contained within     properly tagged sacks prior to leaving the reservation.

The Sister Lake Public Oyster Seed Reservation was originally scheduled to open for eight days in September 2008, but closures by the Department of Health and Hospitals due to Hurricanes Gustav and Ike prevented harvest during the September season. 

The commission also gave Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Secretary Robert Barham the authority to close this season to protect the oyster resource or if enforcement problems occur.

For more information, contact Patrick Banks at 225-765-2370 or pbanks@wlf.louisiana.gov.

2008-287