The Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) will reopen the state-owned water bottoms within the Little Lake Public Oyster Seed Grounds to the harvest of market oysters for direct sale one half-hour before sunrise on Monday, October 14, 2024.
During this oyster season reopening, the following provisions will be in effect:
- Every vessel harvesting oysters from the Public Oyster Areas for oyster resources shall report harvest information to the LDWF before 9 p.m. each day fished. Vessels shall provide the following information: Captain’s name, oyster harvester number, vessel number, the total number of sacks harvested that day, total barrels of seed removed, and the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) Harvest area fished. Electronic reporting will be completed through the e-Reporting application via smartphone. The eReporting app is supported by both iOS and Android. Fishermen should download the app from these links at the Apple Store or Google Play Store then create an account using an email address. The registration page requires name, commercial fishing license number, and type of license to register. Once the account is created, the fisherman will add their vessels. Follow this link for more information on the eReporting app and how to use it: https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/page/oyster-e-reporting.
- This opening is limited to harvesting only market oysters for direct sale (sacking).
- If any person on a vessel takes or attempts to take oysters from the public oyster reservation described above, all oysters contained on that vessel will be deemed to have been taken from said seed ground from the time harvest begins until all oysters are off-loaded dockside.
- All oysters harvested from the seed grounds for the purpose of market shall be uncontaminated, sealed and not gaping as described in R.S. 56:433.
- All oysters harvested from the seed grounds for the purpose of direct sale shall measure a minimum of 3 inches from hinge to bill as described in R.S. 56:433.
- Prior to leaving the seed ground with oysters harvested from said area, all oysters must be sacked, the number of sacks recorded in a log book, and each sack shall be properly tagged.
- Any vessel from which any person(s) takes or attempts to take oysters from the public oyster seed grounds described above, shall be restricted to a daily limit of sacks of oysters per vessel. The daily limit shall not exceed 30 sacks of oysters per vessel and the possession limit shall be twice the daily limit. A sack of oysters for the purposes of this Declaration of Emergency shall be defined as the size described in R.S. 56:440. If sacks smaller than the size described in R.S. 56:440 are used, the daily harvest and possession limits shall be based on the number of sacks used, not the size of the sack or other measures. The possession limit shall not apply to vessels operating under a valid Oyster Cargo Vessel Permit, and these properly-permitted vessels shall not harvest oysters while operating under the cargo permit.
- Taking oysters from the public oyster seed grounds or reservations without an oyster seed ground vessel permit shall be a class two violation subject to the penalties provided in RS 56:32 and to the requirements of RS 56:424.1.
The Secretary of the Department was previously authorized by the Wildlife and Fisheries Commission to open public areas if substantial oyster resources are located, and LDWF biological sampling has indicated that harvestable quantities of oysters continue to exist in this area. The area was previously opened to the harvest of oysters September 23-25, 2024.
Harvesters are encouraged to consult with the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) prior to fishing this area as some areas opened by LDWF may be closed due to water quality concerns by LDH.
Public notice of any opening, delay, or closing of a season will be provided at least 72 hours prior to such action, unless the LDH orders such closure for public concerns.
For 2024-2025 oyster season maps, click here.
For more information, contact Robert Caballero at rcaballero@wlf.la.gov or 504-286-4054.