The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) certified 123 boaters statewide during its 10th annual "Boating Education Lagniappe Day" on April 24.
Boating Education Lagniappe Day was held at eight locations across the state and consisted of the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) boating education course, food and drinks, giveaways and door prizes all free of charge to the public.
The NASBLA safe boating certification is mandatory for anybody born after Jan. 1, 1984 who wants to operate a motorboat in excess of 10 horsepower.
The NASBLA-approved course includes information on choosing a boat, classification, hulls, motors, legal requirements and equipment requirements. The course also covers many navigation rules and charts, trailering, sailboats, canoeing, personal watercraft and more. Each student received that completed the course was issued a vessel operators certification card.
To register for a future boating education class, please visit please visit https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/page/boater-education and click on the link for “Find A Course Near You”.
Below was the list of class locations for lagniappe day:
Webster Parish
LDWF Region 1 Office
9961 Hwy. 80
Minden, LA 71055
Sponsors include Webster Parish Sheriff’s Office, Marine Specialties of Louisiana and Shreveport, The Boat Shop of Shreveport, Bayou Outdoors of Bossier City, Ace Hardware of Minden, Tractor Supply of Minden and BMS Supply of Minden.
Ouachita Parish
Academy Sports and Outdoors
111 Constitution Dr.
West Monroe, LA 71292
Sponsors include Academy Sports and Outdoors and T.P. Outdoors of West Monroe.
Avoyelles Parish
Cottonport Bank Camp
1055 Old River Road
Mansura, LA 71350
Sponsors include Cottonport Bank
Lafayette Parish
LDWF Lafayette Office
200 Dulles Rd.
Lafayette, LA 70506
Sponsors include Deano’s Pizza of Lafayette, Redmond Marine of Lafayette, The Prop Shop of Lafayette, Austin’s Outdoors of Opelousas and Action Specialty of New Iberia.
Jefferson Davis Parish
Lacassine Community Center
312 Community Center Road
Lacassine, LA 70659
Sponsors include the Lacassine Community Center and the Beauregard Chapter of Whitetails Unlimited.
Assumption Parish
Assumption Parish Community Center
4910 Highway 308
Napoleonville, La 70390
Sponsors include the Assumption Parish Community Center and the Louisiana Wildlife Agents Association.
Tangipahoa Parish
Manchac Fire Department
30221 Hwy. 51
Akers, LA 70421
Sponsors include the Manchac Boating Club, Brandon Supply of Amite and the Manchac Fire Department.
St. Tammany Parish
Castine Center
63350 Pelican Drive
Mandeville, LA 70448
Sponsors include Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers