Saltwater Recreational Seasons

Shrimp Season Information

Recreational Trawling:  See the Commercial Saltwater Seasons page.  Recreational shrimping seasons follow the same seasonal framework as commercial open and closed seasons. 

Recreational Cast net:  See specific regulations for Wildlife Management Areas regarding access, limits, and seasons.

Oyster Season Information

Recreational harvest on public oyster grounds is limited by the same seasonal framework as commercial open and closed seasons.  See the Commercial Saltwater Seasons page for further information.  Oyster harvest is not allowed from un-leased water bottoms outside of the public oyster grounds.  Harvest from leased water bottoms is only allowed with the written permission of the lease holder, from waters that are designated as open for shellfish harvest by the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals Seafood Sanitation Section

Finfish Season Information

Red Snapper Opens:  12:01 a.m. June 1, 2009.  The date for the seasonal closure is set as August 15 at 12:01am. (1 minute after August 15th begins.)

News Releases:

•  RECREATIONAL RED SNAPPER SEASON TO CLOSE FRIDAY, AUG. 14

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) announced rules for harvest of red snapper in federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico federal waters , including additional regulations on gear required to be aboard vessels fishing for reef fish in Federal waters (see Saltwater Recreational Regulations page).

Gag, black and red grouper:  All Louisiana State waters out to the seaward boundary of the Louisiana Territorial Sea are closed to the recreational and commercial harvest and possession of black and red grouper from February 15 through March 14 of each year.  The season is closed for the recreational harvest of gag from February 1 through March 31 (both seasons concurrent with Federal closures in EEZ).

Shark:  All Louisiana State waters out to the seaward boundary of the Louisiana Territorial Sea are closed to the recreational and commercial harvest and possession of shark from April 1 through June 30 of each year.