The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission adopted a Notice of Intent that would alter daily creel limit regulations for channel and blue catfish harvested in boundary waters with Texas including Toledo Bend Reservoir, Caddo Lake and the Sabine River. The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department biologists together recommended the action based on the results of a cooperative biological study and angler input.
The current daily creel limit of 50 catfish, with a limit of five channel and blue catfish over 20 inches in total length, was adopted in 2011 as part of a coordinated effort with the TPWD to establish uniform regulations on boundary waters. LDWF and TPWD biologists conducted follow-up sampling, confirming angler concerns that the restriction was unduly restricting harvest. A joint study determined the catfish populations in question are healthy and the current regulation was overly restrictive.
The proposed rule change would maintain the 50 fish daily creel limit, but set a limit of five fish over 30 inches in total length. The action will also maintain standardized regulations in Louisiana-Texas border waters and allow anglers in Toledo Bend Reservoir, Caddo Lake, and the Sabine River to keep a greater amount of channel and blue catfish caught.
http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/news/37314-lwfc-ado...
Interested persons may submit related comments regarding the proposed rule by March 10, 2014, to Mike Wood, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Office of Fisheries, P.O. Box 98000, Baton Rouge, LA 70898-9000 or via email at comment@wlf.la.gov.
LDWF is charged with managing and protecting Louisiana’s abundant natural resources. For more information, visit us at www.wlf.la.gov, and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ldwffb or follow us on Twitter @LDWF.
For press inquiries, contact Ashley Wethey at awethey@wlf.la.gov or (504) 286-8733.