The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission took action at today’s monthly meeting on a Notice of Intent (NOI) to update the list of established recreational reef sites in Louisiana inshore waters.
 
In Calcasieu Lake, the Commission proposes to remove the inshore planning area encompassing Oyster Reefs 1, 2, and 3 (also known as the Chenier Reefs) from to the list of established recreational reef sites. This action would allow for the future harvest of market-size oysters known to exist in the area. A new area of water bottoms in the lake would be designated and set aside as a recreational reef (planned East Calcasieu Reef in Cameron Parish), and oyster harvest would be restricted in this area. 
 
New reef sites in Lake Pontchartrain include the recently created 10-acre West End reef site near the south shore of the lake in Orleans Parish, and the new 10-acre St. John reef site in the southwestern part of the lake in St. John the Baptist Parish.
 
Other site changes include the removal of duplicate reef sites coordinates, consistency corrections and subsequent renumbering of reef sites.
 
 
Interested persons may submit comments relative to the proposed modifications to Craig Gothreaux, Artificial Reef Program Manager, Department of Wildlife and Fisheries – Fisheries Extension, P.O. Box 98000, Baton Rouge, LA 70898-9000 or via email to cgothreaux@wlf.la.gov prior to November 28, 2016.