Printable VersionNOAA Fisheries can issue an exempted fishing permit (EFP) to authorize activities that would otherwise be prohibited by federal fishery regulations for limited testing, data collection, exploratory fishing, and other purposes.
In January 2018, LDWF submitted an application [3] for an EFP to:
- Test a state-based management approach that allows recreational harvest of red snapper in federal waters off Louisiana
- Evaluate fishing effort by habitat type off the Louisiana coast
- Assess angler acceptance and validity of electronic reporting methods.
In April 2018, NOAA Fisheries approved [4] the majority of LDWF's EFP application, along with similar EFPs from the other Gulf states. These EFPs allow each of the Gulf states to set their own season for the private recreational red snapper fishery in state and federal waters in 2018 and 2019; NOAA Fisheries will continue to regulate federal for-hire charter vessels. In general, when fishing for red snapper in federal waters, private anglers will need a permit and/or license for the state in which they wish to land their fish and that state’s recreational red snapper season in federal waters must be open. Anglers may fish anywhere in federal waters, including off a state with a closed season, as long as the state where they intend to land has an open recreational red snapper season. Anglers must follow all other requirements for landing in the state as well as the federal bag limit of two fish per person and minimum size limit of 16 inches total length.
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Under Louisiana’s approved EFP, private anglers who hold valid Louisiana Basic and Saltwater Recreational Fishing Licenses [6] as well as a Recreational Offshore Landing Permit (ROLP) [7] will be permitted to fish for red snapper in both state and federal waters during seasons determined by the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission. Anglers can sign up to participate in the EFP via the ROLP website [7] or smartphone app (Google Play [8] or iTunes [9]). LDWF will monitor recreational landings on a weekly basis [10] through LA Creel, the state's recreational landings data collection program, and the season will be closed when landings approach or reach Louisiana's allocation of red snapper approved under the EFP (about 743,000 pounds). Participants will also have the opportunity to test electronic reporting via the ROLP smartphone app and website.
1. Who is eligible to participate in the EFP study?
Any angler who holds valid Louisiana Basic and Saltwater Recreational Fishing Licenses [6] and a Louisiana Recreational Offshore Landing Permit (ROLP) [11] is eligible to participate. You do not have to be a resident of Louisiana to participate. Participation is voluntary, and you can sign up via the ROLP website [7] or smartphone app (Google Play [8] or iTunes [9]) to participate.
2. What is a Recreational Offshore Landing Permit (ROLP)?
A ROLP is free but required to land the following offshore species: tunas, billfish, swordfish, amberjacks, snappers, hinds, groupers, cobia, wahoo, and dolphin. Note that this offshore landing permit is not to fish offshore, it is to land the previously mentioned species, regardless of where they are caught. LDWF implemented this requirement in 2012 to better quantify and characterize anglers and for-hire charter captains that fish for offshore species. Sign up for an ROLP and to participate in the EFP via the ROLP website [7] or smartphone app downloaded through the Google Play [8] or iTunes [9] app stores.
Anglers fishing aboard a for-hire charter vessel are not required to obtain a ROLP; they are covered under the for-hire charter vessel captain’s ROLP.
3. Are charter boats allowed to participate in the EFP study?
No. If you are a state charter captain (those who do not have a federal Gulf of Mexico charter/headboat permit for reef fish), you may only fish for red snapper in state waters (within the 9 nautical mile state water boundary) when the state recreational red snapper season is open. You may not fish federal waters unless you have a federal Gulf of Mexico charter/headboat permit for reef fish.
Federally permitted for-hire charter vessels are not included in this EFP either, despite LDWF’s initial request. They may only fish in federal waters during the federal for-hire season set by NOAA Fisheries [4] (June 1-July 21, 2018). However, if a federal for-hire charter captain also has a Louisiana charter license, he/she may fish state waters when the federal for-hire season overlaps with Louisiana’s season.
4. What will participating in the EFP study allow me to do?
Participants will be allowed to fish red snapper in the state territorial sea and adjoining federal Exclusive Economic Zone (federal waters), from shore to 200 nautical miles, during seasons established by the LDWF Secretary or the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission. Participants may fish anywhere in federal waters, including off a state with a closed season, as long as fish are landed in Louisiana and Louisiana’s recreational red snapper season is open. Basically, federal waters will be closed to private recreational red snapper fishing, but participating in the EFP will exempt you from these regulations while Louisiana’s season is open.
All participants must abide by the federal minimum size limit (currently 16 inches) and two fish per day bag limit. Participants will be subject to periodic, random LA Creel dockside surveys and associated online and phone effort surveys, as has been the case since 2014 when LA Creel began. Participants will also have the option to report their red snapper catch electronically.
5. How do I participate in the EFP study?
- Obtain Louisiana Basic and Saltwater Recreational Fishing Licenses [6] and a Louisiana Recreational Offshore Landing Permit (ROLP) [11], if you do not already have them.
- Log into your ROLP smartphone app (from Google Play [8] or iTunes [9]) or the ROLP website [7].
- Once you are logged in, click the “Register for the Red Snapper Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP)” link to sign up to participate in the EFP.
- Once you register, you will be directed to a screen asking for your vessel number (e.g. state or U.S. Coast Guard registration number). If you do not have a vessel that will be used to fish for red snapper, select “I do not have my own vessel.” On this screen, you can also select to voluntarily report your catch electronically (more details on electronic reporting are in question 13 below.)
- Click the box confirming your information is correct and that you acknowledge the terms of the EFP and submit your registration. You will then be prompted to confirm you agree to the terms of the EFP.
- Once you have registered, print a copy of your ROLP, which will indicate your participation in the EFP study, and carry it on your person, along with applicable licenses, while fishing under the EFP for enforcement purposes. (You may also carry electronic versions of your ROLP and licenses instead.)
If you will be fishing aboard a for-hire charter vessel, you do not need to sign up to fish under the EFP. You must have Louisiana Basic and Saltwater Fishing Licenses [6] but are not required to obtain an ROLP as you are covered under the for-hire charter captain’s ROLP.
6. How do I find my LDWF license number?
Go to the account management page on our licensing site [12]. Log in using your social security number or driver’s license number to find your LDWF license number.
7. When is the recreational red snapper season under the EFP?
The 2018 recreational red snapper season began on Friday, May 25 in both state and federal waters. The season ran seven days a week with a daily bag limit of two fish per person and a 16-inch total length minimum size limit. The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission closed the season [13] at 11:59 pm on Sunday, July 8, 2018. At their July 3, 2018 meeting, the Commission voted to reopen the recreational red snapper season on July 13, 2018 [14] for weekends only (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday). LDWF closed the season [15] at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, August 12, 2018 as preliminary estimates from LA Creel indicated that Louisiana’s annual private recreational allocation (about 743,000 pounds) was projected to be harvested by this time. The LDWF Secretary has the authority to reopen the recreational season if finalized landings data indicate such harvest would be within the quota allowed under the EFP. Please stay tuned for further action from LDWF and/or the Commission.
8. How will LDWF inform participants about progress of the EFP season and potential closures?
LDWF will update the red snapper page on its website [10] weekly regarding the latest snapper landings and season projections. LDWF will also notify registered participants of potential season closures via email and/or text message.
9. What are the red snapper size and bag limits under the EFP?
The size and bag limits under the EFP will be the same as the current federal size and bag limits (16 inch minimum size limit and two fish per person per day bag limit).
10. How much red snapper is available for Louisiana’s recreational fishermen to harvest?
The approved EFP allocated about 743,000 pounds of red snapper to Louisiana’s private anglers for the 2018 season. This is a portion of the private angling component’s share of the total Gulf recreational red snapper quota. Landings of red snapper by private anglers from both state and federal waters and state-licensed charter boats from state waters will be deducted from this allocation. The LDWF Secretary or Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission will close the private recreational red snapper season in all areas for the remainder of the year when recreational landings approach or reach Louisiana's allocation of red snapper, according to landings estimates from LA Creel.
Please note that the Gulf red snapper stock is currently being assessed. If this assessment results in a change to the 2019 recreational quota, Louisiana’s allocation may be adjusted accordingly.
Federal for-hire charter vessels will still be under federal management and will not be participating in this EFP. Landings from federal for-hire charter vessels will be deducted from the for-hire component’s share of the total Gulf recreational red snapper quota.
11. What happens if Louisiana’s 2018 recreational red snapper landings exceed the state’s allocation?
LDWF will monitor recreational red snapper landings weekly and the season will be closed when the when landings approach or reach Louisiana's allocation of red snapper approved under the EFP (about 743,000 pounds). However, should for some reason landings exceed this allocation, LDWF will adjust the allocation for the following year to account for the overage in 2018.
12. If I participate in the EFP study, what am I required to do?
You must abide by seasons set by the state of Louisiana as well as the current federal size and bag limits (16 inch minimum size limit and two fish per person per day bag limit). You will be surveyed through periodic, random dockside sampling and associated phone/email surveys (standard LA Creel processes). While these surveys are voluntary, we strongly encourage your participation as this is the primary method for tracking harvest, and more participation provides more precise harvest data. More precise harvest data allows managers to be more confident that quotas are not being over-run, allowing them to extend the season. You are also encouraged, but not required, to participate in voluntary electronic reporting so that we can test this method of harvest data collection.
13. Am I required to report my catch electronically under the EFP?
No. Electronic catch reporting is voluntary, but strongly encouraged. If you are a private recreational angler, you have the option to report your catch through the ROLP website [7] or smartphone app. You can download the ROLP smartphone app via the Google Play [8] and iTunes [9] app stores.
Please note that all participants are requested to participate in LA Creel dockside surveys and associated online and phone effort surveys.
14. If I opt to participate in voluntary electronic reporting, how do I report my catch?
If you opt in to voluntary electronic reporting, you must declare each red snapper trip prior to departure and report your catch once you return from each red snapper trip. Note that only one angler per vessel should declare a trip and report the catch. However, all anglers onboard must have required licenses and ROLPs.
To declare a new trip:
- Log into your ROLP account via the ROLP smartphone app (Google Play [8] or iTunes [9]) or website [7] and click “Register your Upcoming Trip.”
- Enter your trip information (dates, departure location, vessel registration) and reconfirm that you agree to the terms of the EFP.
- Click “Declare Trip” and you will receive a trip identification number. This number covers all anglers on board your vessel and is only valid for the days of your trip. You may select a trip up to five days long. Be sure to carry this number on board your vessel during your trip for validation purposes during LA Creel dockside surveys.
To report your catch once you return from your trip:
- Log onto your ROLP account via the ROLP smartphone app or website.
- Under Trip Reporting, click “Enter Information” (under the trip identification number).
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Enter the details regarding fishing activities for all anglers on board your vessel for each day of your trip, including:
- Trip date
- Departure location
- Number of anglers on the trip
- Vessel registration number
- If you were fishing for red snapper
- The number of red snapper kept, discarded (under legal size), and discarded (for other reasons)
- Where you fished (over artificial reef, natural bottom, or standing platform; lease area location; and approximate water depth)
- Review your trip report summary and verify your responses. If you need to make changes, click “Make Changes.” If your report is accurate, click “Submit and Finish” to submit your final report. You will not be able to make changes after this point.
You will not be able to obtain additional trip identification numbers until you report your fishing activities from your previous trip. If you are on a multi-day trip, you may report catch daily, but you may only submit a final catch report after the last day of the trip.
If you need to cancel a trip, you may do so any time; simply log onto your ROLP account and click “Cancel Trip.”
Note that you may opt out of voluntary electronic reporting at any time. Also, if you opted out of voluntary electronic reporting when you originally registered for the EFP, you may opt in at any time.
15. Do I have to own a boat to fish for red snapper during the EFP season?
No, you do not have to own a boat to fish for red snapper during the EFP season. When you are registering for the EFP, simply select “I do not have my own vessel” on the vessel registration screen.
16. Am I allowed to harvest red snapper in 2018 if I did not sign up to participate in the EFP study?
Yes. You may harvest red snapper as long as you have valid Louisiana Basic and Saltwater Fishing Licenses [6] and an ROLP [7] and the season is open.
17. Do I have to make my catch available for inspection by LDWF biologists?
No; however, we prefer that you always make your catch available for biological inspection. Dockside sampling is a very important component of LA Creel, our recreational landings data collection program, as well as our efforts to monitor fish populations.
18. Do I have to land my catch in Louisiana?
No, you are not required to land your catch in Louisiana. However, you must abide by all required licenses and permits and regulations of the state where you are landing your catch. To avoid double counting, report your catch to the state where you are landing your catch through that state’s catch reporting program.
19. What happens if the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council passes the Louisiana Reef Fish Management Plan, allowing state management of red snapper, while the EFP study is in progress?
If this amendment [16] is implemented prior to the end date of this EFP, LDWF may amend the EFP or conclude the study.
20. What is the purpose of voluntary electronic reporting and the data LDWF is collecting?
LDWF wants to research the feasibility of collecting user-supplied data through a smartphone app or website. Such methods have the potential to have a larger sample size than we can obtain through standard dockside and telephone sampling. They also have the potential to provide information even faster than we can get it through LA Creel. Remember that this is only a study. We will analyze the results at the conclusion of the EFP and may make future management recommendations based on these results.
21. What do we hope to learn from the EFP study?
One key component of this study is to determine how many anglers fish artificial reefs, oil and gas platforms, and natural bottom habitat. We also want to collect information on the biological condition (growth rates, average weight, etc.) of red snapper on these various types of habitat. Determining potential differences in anglers’ preferences as well as snapper's biology among habitats could help us inform and improve future population assessments and management of this fishery.
In addition, we would like to see what the recreational fishing community thinks of reporting data through a smartphone app or website and how usable these data are in managing recreational fisheries in conjunction with (not replacing) existing monitoring programs.
22. Why is red snapper the only reef fish included in the EFP study?
Red snapper is one of the most popular species sought after in offshore waters. Current regulations constrain this fishery to the point where it is difficult for the average angler to enjoy the sport. If the results of this study prove positive, we may test similar management approaches with other species in the future.
If you have additional questions, please contact Jason Adriance at 504-284-2032 or jadriance@wlf.la.gov [17].