LOUISIANA OYSTER TASK FORCE TO MEET

Release Date: 07/23/2009

The Louisiana Oyster Task Force (LOTF) will meet on Monday, July 27 at 1 p.m. in suite 300 of the University of New Orleans Advanced Technology Center located at 2021 Lake Shore Drive in New Orleans.

The agenda is as follows:
 
I. Roll Call
 
II. Approval of June 22, 2009 Minutes
 
III. Oyster Development Account Information
 A. Oyster Tag Sales - (Louisiana Seafood and Promotion and Marketing Board (LSPMB) Staff)
 B. LOTF Financial Report - (LSPMB)
 C. Crop Insurance Reimbursement - (Ewell Smith)
 
IV. Committee Reports
  A. Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH)
    1. Update on Joint Health/Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Committee Meeting Regarding DHH Logs and LDWF Trip Tickets - DHH and LDWF (David Guilbeau/Patrick Banks)
    2. Joint Health/LDWF request to look at the variables in water temp found near the water bottom compared to water temp found near the top of the water column to see if the Vibrio calculator can be adjusted to reflect those differences
    3. Update on Sabine Lake (DHH)
  4. Update on Maps that include Areas, Seasonal Closures and Longitudes/Latitudes
  B. Governor's Office on Coastal Affairs
    1. Ostrica Locks construction update (Jerome Zeringue)
    2. Annual Report on oyster leases affected by coastal restoration projects
  C. Department of Natural Resources
  D. LDWF
    1. Update on Maps that include DEQ Areas, Health Areas, Seasonal Closures and Longitudes/Latitudes
    2. POLR Program Update
 
 E. Public and Private Oyster Grounds Committee (Buddy Pausina)
    1. Biological surveys following permitted coastal activities 
    2. Study group report on exemptions for Coastal Zone permit requirements for concrete mats
    3. SeaGrant Legal opinion on land-water ownership
 F. Enforcement (Keith Lacaze)
 G. Legislative (Mike Voisin)
     1. Set Meeting with LDWF to develop harvesting rules for the "planting only" portion of public harvest season
 H. Research - (John Supan)
    1. Dermo Study - Waterbottoms mail-out
    2. Educating the harvesters and dealers prior to obtaining a commercial license 
 I. Coastal Restoration (Jerome Zeringue) 
 J. Coastal Restoration Activity Impact Sub-Committee - (John Tesvich)
     1. Plans for Myrtle Grove Large-scale River Diversion - The effect it will have on Barataria Bay 
 K. Oyster Resource Advisory Committee (Mike Voisin) 
   1. Oyster Season Recommendations
 L. Marketing (Mike Voisin)
  1. Briefing Book

V. New Business
 A. LOTF position on Diversions, Governor's Advisory Commission on Coastal Protection, Restoration and Conservation - Their next meeting is Aug. 20, 2009
 B. Oyster Vessel Seed Ground Permit legislation and notifying the Oyster Community - (Mike Voisin)
 C. Hurricane relief fund distribution among the seafood industry sectors - (Jakov Jurisic)
 D. Operation of Caernarvon Freshwater Diversion (Kenny Fox)
 E. Recording of Oyster Leases (Mike Voisin)
 
VI. Set Next Meeting

VII. Adjourn

2009-224