Oyster Harvesting Tag Requirements
Oysters taken from Louisiana state waters for sale must be properly identified. Harvesters and dealers must identify sacks and other packing containers used to hold in-shell oysters with official oyster harvest tags purchased from LDWF. The color of the tag depends on the intended use of the oysters.
- White Tags - For raw consumption in and outside of Louisiana
- Green Tags - For shucking or post-harvest processing; must be consumed fully cooked
- Pink Tags - For raw consumption only in Louisiana; may not leave the state of Louisiana
Tags are identified with and traceable to both harvesters and dealers. Information on each tag includes:
- Dealer’s name, address, certification number assigned by LDH and the original oyster shipper’s number, if different
- Harvester’s identification number assigned by LDWF
- Date and area of harvest
- Type and quantity of oysters
If you sack or package oysters on your vessel, you must tag them prior to removing them from the vessel. If you sack or package oysters at the dock, you must tag them immediately upon arriving at the dock prior to shipping them. If you harvest from more than one area on a given day, you must sack or package and tag the oysters from one area before moving on to the next.
Dealers must keep oyster harvest tags affixed to each container of in-shell oysters until the container is shipped or emptied for washing, grading or packing. Dealers must retain all tags for at least 90 days.
It is illegal to possess untagged sacks or containers of oysters (other than on board the vessel or at the dock prior to shipment). Any untagged or improperly tagged sacks or containers will be considered to have been taken from polluted waters, deemed a health hazard and seized and destroyed. Untagged sacks or containers of oysters may not be sold for resale.