Published on Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov)

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Saltwater Finfish Seasons

Get creel and size limits before you hit the water here [3].

All recreational anglers possessing or landing the following species or species groups: tunas, billfish, swordfish, snappers (except gray snapper), amberjacks and groupers or hinds must obtain a Recreational Offshore Landing Permit.  A Permit, available at no cost, as well as more information can be obtained at www.wlf.la.gov/rolp [4]. 

*Please note that the daily aggregate limit for some groupers (black grouper, gag, red grouper, yellowfin grouper, misty grouper, snowy grouper, yellowedge grouper, yellowmouth grouper, scamp, rock hind, red hind, speckled hind and Warsaw grouper) has changed to 4 with no more than one speckled hind or Warsaw grouper per vessel and with not more than 2 gag or 4 red grouper per person included in the bag limit.

Black grouper, red grouper, yellowfin grouper, yellowmouth grouper, rock hind, red hind and scamp have an annual closed season from February 1 through March 31.

Recreational Red Snapper – Opening March 23, 2013, Weekends Only State Waters Season

  • Season scheduled to open March 23, 2013, in State Waters only.
  • Season will be open, in State Waters only, on weekends only (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday), except for Monday May 27, 2013, and September 2, 2013, which will be considered a weekend day.
  • Bag limit is 3 fish at a minimum size of 16 inches total length from State Waters.
  • Federal season scheduled to open June 1, 2013.
  • Get more information on the Federal season here [5].

Recreational Gag Grouper Season – Currently Closed

  • Season scheduled to open from July 1, 2013 through October 31, 2013
  • Bag limit changed to 2 fish per person per day
  • Get more information here [6].

Recreational Greater Amberjack – Currently Open

  • Currently open
  • Annual closed season from June 1 – July 31
  • Season re-opens August 1
  • Limits managed through a federal quota
  • Get more information here [6].

Recreational Gray Triggerfish – Currently Open

  • Currently open
  • Season scheduled to re-open January 1, 2013
  • Limits managed through a federal quota
  • Get more information here [6].

Recreational Bluefin Tuna

  • There is no directed or targeted recreational fishing for bluefin tuna allowed in the Gulf of Mexico.
  • One bluefin tuna over 73 inches curved fork length, caught incidentally, may be kept per vessel per year during open seasons.
  • Seasons subject to close at any time, get more information at www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms [7] .
  • Federal HMS Angling Permit and Louisiana Recreational Offshore Landing Permit needed.
  • Incidental Trophy Season closes April 4, 2013, at 11:30 pm and will not reopen until January 1, 2014.

Commercial Greater Amberjack –Currently Open

  • Season re-opens January 1, 2013
  • Annual closed season from March 1 – May 31
  • Limits managed through a federal quota
  • Get more information here [6].

Commercial Large Coastal Sharks – Currently Open

  • Open 1/1/13
  • Season will close when federally established quota is harvested or projected to be harvested
  • Annual closed season from April 1 – June 30
  • State and Federal Daily trip limit – 36 Large Coastal Sharks
  • Harvest is regulated by a federally established quota
  • State Shark Permit required to commercially harvest shark; Federal Permit required when fishing in Federal waters
  • Large Coastal Sharks are : great hammerhead shark, scalloped hammerhead shark, smooth hammerhead shark, nurse shark, blacktip shark, bull shark, lemon shark, sandbar shark*, silky shark, spinner shark, and tiger shark.
  • *Sandbar shark may only be harvested with a special Federal Research Permit
  • Get more information here [8].

Commercial Small Coastal Sharks – Currently Open

  • Season Open
  • Season will close when quota is harvested or projected to be harvested
  • Annual closed season from April 1 – June 30
  • Harvest is regulated by federally established quota
  • Small Coastal Sharks are : Atlantic sharpnose shark, bonnethead shark, blacknose shark, and finetooth shark
  • Get more information here [8].

Commercial Gray Triggerfish – Currently Open

  • Currently open
  • Limits managed through a federal quota
  • Get more information here [6].

1-800-256-2749 | (225) 765-2800 | Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, P.O. Box 98000
2000 Quail Dr. Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70898

 

Source URL: http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/saltwater-finfish-seasons

Links:
[1] http://twitter.com/share
[2] http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/print/34536
[3] http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/../../fishing/saltwater-recreational-state-creel-and-size-limits
[4] http://www.wlf.la.gov/rolp
[5] http://www.gulfcouncil.org/fishing_regulations/regulations_matrix/Site/Regulations_Matrix.html
[6] http://www.gulfcouncil.org/fishing_regulations/index.php
[7] http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms
[8] http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/hmsdocument_files/sharks.htm