LDWF News

The Hunting and Fishing Advisory Education Council will meet on Tuesday, July 9, 2013 at 1:30 p.m. in the 4^th floor conference room at the Louisiana Dept. of Wildlife and Fisheries Headquarters at

2000 Quail Drive, Baton Rouge, La.  The meeting agenda will include:

1. Roll Call
2. Approval of Minutes of March 12, 2013
3. Welcome and Opening Comments - Chairman
4. Enforcement Division Report
5. Legislative Session Overview
6. Office of Fisheries: Recreational Offshore Landing Permit
7. Office of Fisheries: Wallop-Breaux Funds
8. Office of Wildlife: Preliminary Waterfowl Hunter Survey Results
9. Other Business: Council Discussion on Meeting Schedule
10. Set Next Meeting Date
11. Receive Public Comments
12. Adjournment

July 8, 2013
10:00 a.m.
Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board Office
2101 Lakeshore Drive, Suite 310, New Orleans, La

1. Call to order and introduction of guests
2. Seafood Marketing Campaign Performance Evaluation
   1. GCR
   2. Newsroom Ink
   3. Graham Group
   4. The Food Group
   5. Staff Review
3. Public comment
4. Adjourn

July 2, 2013 -- The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission set the dates for the 2013-2014 early migratory bird hunting seasons at their July 2 meeting. These dates, recommended by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, are tentative pending U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service approval.

The proposed dove season is broken down into a north and south zone with each zone having three segments and includes mourning, white-winged, Eurasian collared and ringed-turtle doves. The dove season in the south zone would go from Sept. 7-15, Oct. 19 - Dec. 1 and Dec. 21 - Jan. 6. The north zone would be from Sept. 7-22, Oct. 12 - Nov. 10 and Dec. 14 - Jan. 6. The daily bag limit for mourning, white-winged and fully dressed Eurasian collared-doves and ringed-turtle doves would be 15 in aggregate and possession of 45 in aggregate. However, there is no bag limit on Eurasian collared-doves or ringed turtle-doves provided that a fully feathered wing and head remain attached to the carcass of the bird. Fully dressed Eurasian-collared doves and ringed turtle-doves (those without a fully feathered wing and head naturally attached to the carcass) shall be included in the aggregate bag.

The following boundary divides the dove season zones: Beginning at the Texas-Louisiana border on La. Hwy. 12; thence east along La. Hwy. 12 to its intersection with U.S. Hwy. 190; thence east along U.S. Hwy. 190 to its intersection with Interstate 12; thence east along I-12 to its intersection with Interstate 10; then east along I-10 to the Mississippi state line.

Blue-winged, green-winged and cinnamon teal season would last from Sept. 14 - 29 with a daily bag limit of six (6) and a possession limit of eighteen (18). Federal and state waterfowl stamps are required to harvest teal.

Rail and gallinule seasons are proposed to last 70 days. The first segment would be open from Sept. 14 - 29. The other segment will be set in August with the regular waterfowl seasons. King and clapper rails would have a daily bag limit of 15 with a possession limit of 45. Sora and Virginia rails would have a daily limit of 25 and possession limit totaling 75. Common and purple gallinules would have a daily bag limit of 15 and possession limit totaling 45.

Under the proposal, woodcock season would last 45 days from Dec. 18 - Jan. 31, statewide. A three-bird daily bag limit and a nine-bird possession limit would be allowed.

Snipe season will be set in August.

Shooting and hawking hours for dove, woodcock, rail, teal and gallinules are tentatively set for half an hour before sunrise to sunset, except for a 12 noon start time on the first day of dove season, Sept. 7, 2013.

Extended falconry mourning dove season would open from Sept. 16 - Oct. 2. Extended falconry woodcock season would open from Oct. 28 - Dec. 17 and will reopen from Feb. 1-11. The falconry daily bag limit would be three and possession limit of six birds for all permitted migratory game birds during the extended falconry and regular hunting seasons. Extended falconry seasons for ducks, rails and gallinules will be set in August with the waterfowl regulations.

Hunters are reminded that they must have a HIP permit to hunt migratory birds.  HIP permits are free and are available wherever hunting licenses are sold.

For more information, contact Jeff Duguay at 225-765-2353 or jduguay@wlf.la.gov.

July 2, 2013 -- The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission today issued notices of intent with the proposed 2014 wild turkey season and regulation changes.  The proposed season framework was presented by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries’ (LDWF) Wildlife Division at the Commission’s monthly meeting.  The public has 60 days to comment on the department’s recommendation.

If approved as presented, the 2014 wild turkey season would open March 22 in three designated areas with varying end of season dates as follows:  Area A, March 22 - April 20; Area B, March 22 - April 13; and Area C, March 22 - April 6 using the same geographic boundaries utilized in 2013 with the exception of a small portion of Area B within Caddo Parish to be closed.

The private lands youth and physically challenged hunter weekend would be set for March 15-16 in all designated areas, if approved as recommended.

Additionally, on USFWS-managed national wildlife refuges and US Army Corps of Engineer properties the following turkey hunting dates would be available:

* Bogue Chitto NWR, March 15-16 (youth), plus March 22 - April 13.

* Lake Ophelia NWR, March 15 (youth lottery), plus March 22 - April 6 (hunts end at 12 noon).

* Tensas NWR, March 15-16 (youth), plus March 22 - April 6.

* Upper Ouachita NWR, March 15 (youth lottery).

* Indian Bayou USACOE, March 15-16 (youth/physically challenged), plus March 22-23 and 29-30; all lottery hunts.

* Old River USACOE, March 22 - April 6.

Proposed turkey hunting dates on Kisatchie National Forest would include youth hunts on March 15-16 on the Caney, Calcasieu (except Forest Service / Vernon Unit lands within Ft. Polk/Vernon WMA) and Kisatchie Ranger Districts; and March 15 on Catahoula and Winn Ranger Districts. The regular turkey season within the Caney Ranger District would run from March 22 to April 6; and from March 22 to April 13 on all other Ranger Districts.

WMA turkey season and rule changes would include:

* Noting the name change of Three Rivers / Red River WMAs to Richard K. Yancey WMA

* Clarification of lottery hunt rules to allow youth to apply for both youth and regular lottery hunts

* Dropping the GPS requirement on Tunica Hills WMA

* Adding an open hunt on Pomme de Terre WMA from April 16-20

* Replacing two, 3-day lottery hunts on Union WMA with a 2-day lottery hunt March 29-30 and a 7-day open hunt March 31 to April 6 and youth lottery hunt weekend March 15-16

* Moving Sabine WMA’s first regular lottery hunt to March 28-30

* Dropping the second Pearl River WMA youth hunt

Public comments can be submitted by mail to Kenny Ribbeck, LDWF Wildlife Division, P. O. Box 98000, Baton Rouge, LA  70898-9000, or email to kribbeck@wlf.la.gov through Sept. 5, 2013.

To view the full notice of intent and all proposed hunting season dates and regulations changes for the upcoming hunting season, please visit http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/action-items. For more information, contact Jimmy Stafford at 225-765-2361 or jstafford@wlf.la.gov .

(July 2, 2013) – Today, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries announced the 2013 spring inshore shrimp season will close in state inside waters from the Atchafalaya River westward to the Louisiana/Texas state line.  These waters will close as follows:

• state inside waters from the Atchafalaya River Ship Channel at Eugene Island as delineated by the River Channel Buoy Line westward to the western shore of Freshwater Bayou will close one-half hour after sunset on Saturday, July 6,
• state inside waters from the western shore of Freshwater Bayou westward to the Louisiana/Texas state line will close at 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 9.

Data collected in recent weeks by LDWF biologists indicate increased quantity, distribution and percentage of small, juvenile white shrimp within these waters.  The decision to close this area was made in an effort to protect these developing shrimp and provide opportunity for growth to larger and more marketable sizes.

All remaining state inside and outside waters, except for portions of the Terrebonne Basin will remain open to shrimp harvesting until further notice, with the exception of those areas still closed to recreational and commercial fishing due to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill.  Maps of the areas still closed to recreational and commercial fishing are posted to the LDWF website at www.wlf.louisiana.gov/oilspill

The Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is charged with managing and protecting Louisiana's abundant natural resources. For more information, visit us at www.wlf.louisiana.gov, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ldwffb, or follow us on Twitter @LDWF.

For more information, contact Martin Bourgeois at (985) 594-4130 or mbourgeois@wlf.la.gov.  For press inquiries, contact Ashley Wethey at (225) 765-2396 or awethey@wlf.la.gov.

FIRST LASS WIN FOR FAITHFUL ANGLERS TONY GROSE AND SAL FONTANA, SR.

July 1, 2013 - Sweetwater Marina in Delacroix was the venue for the fifth event of the LASS Redfish Series this past Saturday, brought to you by the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Foundation, Shimano and The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. 

Even with the increasing chance for thunderstorms and hot temperatures on the water, 74 teams registered for a chance to compete for the win in Delacroix.  This is the largest and most impressive turn out for a redfish event since the inception of the Louisiana Saltwater Series in 2010.  The Delacroix event also brought in 31 anglers from out-of- state including anglers from Arkansas, Georgia, Texas, Florida, Mississippi and Alabama.  And for the first time the LASS welcomed four sponsor teams from Crescent Crown Distributing who came out to take part in the Redfish Series to join the anglers and see what it’s all about. This catch and release format challenged anglers to catch a limit of two legal redfish using artificial lures only.

Best friends Tony Grose, of Arabi and Sal Fontana, Sr., of Metairie, have fished the Louisiana Saltwater Series since its inception.  Taking home top prize for the first time this year with a total weight of 16.34 pounds claimed them a spot to compete in the Louisiana Saltwater Series Championship in October and put them one step closer to the Team of the Year. 

In order to compete in the Louisiana Saltwater Series Championship teams must either have a finish in one of the qualifying events within the payout for that event or compete in at least four of the six qualifying events. 

Anglers also took home Shimano sublimated jerseys, Shimano reel and tackle bags, a Stick-It anchor pin, annual memberships to SeaTow and a Frabill net.  These are just a few of the items from our great sponsors that are awarded to anglers as extra fish raffle prizes.  Teams are allowed to bring in extra fish in addition to their weigh-in fish to be entered into drawings for special prizes, with the number of entries determined by the number of extra fish brought in to be tagged.  

The awards ceremony started with the recognition of the first place youth, Drake Garrison, who took home the first place youth win after fishing in his first Louisiana Saltwater Series Redfish Tournament ever. Drake weighed in an awesome redfish that weighed 7.33 pounds. The LASS Delacroix event had 12 youth anglers that came out to participate making it our top event for youth participation for 2013 so far. The Louisiana Saltwater Series recognizes all of its youth participants at each event and it is a great component of the event seeing how excited they are to weigh in their fish being cheered on by everyone there.

The top finishing teams, taking home over $12,050 in cash prizes, include: 2^nd place, Stephen Sierra and Scott Benoit; 3^rd place, Steve Smith and John Garrison; 4^th place, Michael McElveen and Rob Folsom; 5^th place, Jason Leblanc and Kory Matherne; 6^th place, Chris Kennedy and Steven Hooter; 7^th place, brothers Joe and John Barcelona; 8^th place, Matthew Whitman and Ryan Schellhaas; 9^th place, Nash Roberts, IV and Luke Landry; 10^th place, father and son, Barnie and Steve White; 11^th place, Scott Ritter and Bobby Abruscato; 12^th place, Ray Reiser; 13^th place, Mac McElroy and David Thibodeaux; 14^th place, Beau Weber, Sr. and his grandson Sean Thornton, and for the team with the ‘smallest fish’, the team of Eric Dumas and Allen Krake. 

A total of 209 redfish were tagged and released by LDWF staff as part of the Louisiana Marine Sport Fish Tagging Program, where anglers become citizen scientists for the agency, collecting invaluable data.  This was a record number of Redfish topping the 202 Redfish tagged and released for the two-day LASS Redfish Championship in 2012! Anglers and their friends and family enjoyed beverages provided by Crescent Crown Distributing as well as hamburgers sponsored by Sweetwater Marina. 

The next LASS event will be a jack crevalle kayak tournament scheduled for Saturday, July 20^th on the New Orleans Lakefront near The Blue Crab Restaurant. The next LASS Redfish event will be on August 10^th at The Delta Marina in Empire and the next LASS youth event will be on November 2^nd at Myrtle Grove Marina.  For complete information, including rules, regulations and registration go to www.lasaltwaterseries.com.

The Louisiana Saltwater Series is hosted in conjunction with the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Foundation.  The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Foundation was formed to provide a means for individuals and corporations to become partners with the Department and Commission in the challenge of conserving Louisiana's wildlife and fish resources.  

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is charged with managing and protecting Louisiana’s abundant natural resources.  For more information, visit us at www.wlf.louisiana.gov on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ldwffb or follow us on Twitter @LDWF.

The next regular Commission Meeting will be held at 9:30 AM on Tuesday, July 2, 2013, at the Waddill Outdoor Education Center, 4142 North Flannery Rd, Baton Rouge, LA 70814.

The following items will be discussed:

1.  Roll Call

2.  Approval of Minutes of June 6, 2013

3.  Commission Special Announcements/Personal Privilege

4.  To Hear Enforcement & Aviation Reports/June

5.  To Consider Notice of Intent Scenic River Rules and Regulations

6.  To Consider Notice of Intent 2014 Wild Turkey Season Dates, Rules and Regulations

7.  To Consider a Declaration of Emergency for Early Migratory Game Birds and Special Teal Season

8.  To Hear Preliminary Results of the 2013 Louisiana Waterfowl Hunter Survey 

9.  To Discuss Establishing Recreational and Commercial Size and Creel Limits on Tripletail 

10.  To Hear and Consider a Declaration of Emergency for Commercial and Recreational Fisheries Closure

11.  To Hear Legislative Post Session Update on Bills affecting Wildlife & Fisheries

12.  Set November 2013 Meeting Date

13.  Receive Public Comments

14.  Adjournment

June 28, 2013 – Today, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Secretary Robert Barham announced a fisheries closure effective immediately for additional areas of Grand Terre Islands.
 
Tar mats located during ongoing surveys were removed this week in the intertidal and subtidal areas of Grand Terre Islands.  Some of those mats were in areas that are already closed, however some additional closures were required. 
 
The area closed is as follows:
 
That portion of state outside waters seaward a distance of one-half mile from the shoreline from the southwestern shore of east Grand Terre at -89 degrees 54 minutes 04 seconds west longitude; thence eastward along the shoreline to the southeastern shore of Grand Terre at -89 degrees 51 minutes 39 seconds west longitude; thence eastward along 29 degrees 18 minutes 46 seconds north latitude to -89 degrees 51 minutes 19 seconds west longitude.
 
Effective with the closure, no person shall take/possess or attempt to take any species of fish for commercial purposes from waters within the closed area.  The possession, sale, barter, trade or exchange of any fish or other aquatic life from the closed area during the closure is prohibited. 
 
All commercial fishing is prohibited in the closed areas. Recreational fishing is limited to recreational rod and reel fishing which includes licensed charter boat guides.
Prohibited Commercial Fishing Activities:

• shrimping
• trawling
• skimming
• butterflying
• crabbing
• flounder and garfish gigging
• cast netting
• oyster harvesting
• gill netting
• hoop netting
• minnow trapping
• rod and reeling
• jug lining
• bow and arrow
• purse seining
• set lining
• spear gunning

Prohibited Recreational Fishing Activities:

• crabbing
• shrimping
• flounder gigging
• cast netting
• bait seining
• bow fishing
• spearing
• snagging
• dip netting

Closures of recreational and commercial fishing have been implemented based on the best information the Secretary of the Department receives from field biologists and staff. 
 
Click here for a map detailing this closure:
 
 To view the latest updates on the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill please visit:  www.wlf.louisiana.gov/oilspill
 
The Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is charged with managing and protecting Louisiana's abundant natural resources. For more information, visit us at www.wlf.louisiana.gov, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ldwffb, or follow us on Twitter @LDWF.
 
For press inquiries, contact Laura Wooderson at lwooderson@wlf.la.gov or (504)430-2623.
 
 

June 28, 2013 – Today, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries announced the 2013 spring inshore shrimp season will close at 6 a.m. on Thursday, July 4, in the Terrebonne Basin except for potions of lower Timbalier Bay, Terrebonne Bay, Lake Pelto and Pelican Lake that border the Gulf.
 
Specifically, the inside waters within the Terrebonne Basin that will remain open to shrimping are bounded by the following coordinates:  south of 29 degrees 15 minutes 00 seconds north latitude from 90 degrees 18 minutes 00 seconds west longitude westward to 90 degrees 34 minutes 00 seconds west longitude, and south of 29 degrees 07 minutes 00 seconds north latitude from 90 degrees 34 minutes 00 seconds west longitude westward to 90 degrees 50 minutes 30 seconds west longitude
 
Data collected in recent weeks by LDWF biologists indicate increased quantity, distribution and percentage of small, juvenile white shrimp within these waters.  The decision to close this area was made in an effort to protect these developing shrimp and provide opportunity for growth to larger and more marketable sizes.
 
LDWF is extending the shrimp season in these lower coastal bays and lakes to provide shrimpers with added opportunities to harvest emigrating brown shrimp while limiting adverse impacts to developing white shrimp populations.  However, if compliance among shrimpers with respect to these boundaries becomes a problem, LDWF will immediately close these waters to shrimping.
 
For a map detailing these closures please click here:
 
All remaining state inside waters, as well as all state outside waters seaward of the Inside/Outside shrimp line, will remain open to shrimp harvesting until further notice, with the exception of those areas still closed to recreational and commercial fishing due to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill.  Maps of the areas still closed to recreational and commercial fishing are posted to the LDWF website at www.wlf.louisiana.gov/oilspill
 
The Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is charged with managing and protecting Louisiana's abundant natural resources. For more information, visit us at www.wlf.louisiana.gov, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ldwffb, or follow us on Twitter @LDWF.
 
For more information, contact Martin Bourgeois at (985) 594-4130 or mbourgeois@wlf.la.gov.   For press inquiries, contact Laura Wooderson at lwooderson@wlf.la.gov or (504)430-2623.
 

June 27, 2013 – The federal red snapper season is set to end this Friday, June 28 at midnight, the Louisiana weekend-only recreational red snapper will resume on Saturday, June 29.

The bag and possession limit for the state season is three fish per person at a 16-inch minimum total length.  A weekend is defined as a Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with the exception of Labor Day when Monday will be considered a weekend as well. 

LDWF reminds anglers of the free, required offshore landing permit.  The permit is required for all anglers, including anglers not normally required to possess a recreational fishing license, possessing tunas, billfish, swordfish, amberjacks, groupers and snappers (except gray snapper), and hinds.

As Louisiana continues to make the case for regional management and the extension of Louisiana’s red snapper season, it is more important now than ever that anglers provide LDWF biologists with this critical data that will only strengthen our fight. 

The permit is available at no cost to the public.

Get the Permit

To obtain a Recreational Offshore Landings Permit click here:  http://rolp.wlf.la.gov/Permit/Apply

LDWF officials encourage fishermen to use caution and their own personal judgment when fishing beyond the three mile boundary that is currently recognized as federal waters, as it is fully expected that federal agents will continue to enforce federal law.  Until the time when the US Congress confirms Louisiana’s action, the battle will continue over Louisiana’s state water boundary.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is charged with managing and protecting Louisiana’s abundant resources.  For more information, visit us at www.wlf.louisiana.gov on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ldwffb or follow us on Twitter @LDWF.

For press inquiries, contact Laura Wooderson at lwooderson@wlf.la.gov or (504)430-2623.  For season and bag limit information, contact Jason Adriance at jadriance@wlf.la.gov or (504) 284-2032.