The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries to Open Oyster Season in Sister Lake

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) will open the oyster season in designated portions of the Public Oyster Seed Reservation in Sister Lake to allow harvest for sacking only (larger than 3 inches). Recent biological sampling by LDWF has indicated additional resource availability in Sister Lake. This additional opening will allow a limited harvest of the resource available on the reefs. The following dates were set for the upcoming oyster season:

• The Sister Lake Public Oyster Seed Reservation will open for sacking only of market size oysters, one half-hour before sunrise on Monday, February 13, 2023 and close one half hour after sunset on Friday, February 17, 2023. During the 2022-23 oyster season, the following provisions will be in effect:
  • Every vessel harvesting oysters from the Public Oyster Areas for market shall report harvest information to the LDWF before 9 pm each day fished. Vessels shall provide the following information: Captain’s name, oyster harvester number, boat number, the total number of sacks harvested that day, and the public oyster area fished. Call 1-800-442-2511 or email oyster@wlf.la.gov to submit harvest reports. This reporting does not substitute for trip ticket reporting.
  • Any vessel from which any person(s) takes or attempts to take oysters from the public oyster seed reservations described above shall be limited to a daily take not to exceed 20 whole sacks of oysters per vessel. 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 limit shall be based on the number of sacks used, not the size of the sack or other measures.
  • 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 or reservation from the time harvest begins until all oysters are off-loaded dockside.
  • All oysters harvested from public areas, seed grounds, or reservations for the purpose of market must be uncontaminated, sealed, and not gaping.
  • All oysters harvested from public areas, seed grounds, or reservations for the purpose of market sales must measure a minimum of 3 inches from hinge to bill.
  • Market oysters harvested from any public oyster area, seed ground, or reservation must be sacked, the number of sacks must be recorded in a log book, and each sack must be properly tagged prior to leaving said public oyster area, seed ground, or reservation.
  • All vessels located in public oyster areas, seed grounds, or reservations during those times between one-half hour after sunset and one-half hour before sunrise must have all oyster scrapers unshackled.
  • The taking of 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.
  • To fish in the public oyster seed grounds and/or reservations (POSG), you must have both POSG Vessel Permit ($50 resident; $200 nonresident) and a POSG gear license ($200 resident; $800 nonresident): Allowing for the harvest of oysters from POSG using a single scraper, tongs or by hand; a second scraper can be used but requires an additional gear license. A maximum of 2 scrapers per vessel is allowed.

The following areas will remain closed for the Sister Lake oyster season:

1. The 2021 Sister Lake Cultch Plant within the following coordinates (see map above):

• A. 29 degrees 14 minutes 25.211 seconds
• 90 degrees 56 minutes 19.177 seconds

• B. 29 degrees 14 minutes 3.351 seconds
• 90 degrees 56 minutes 19.203 seconds

• C. 29 degrees 14 minutes 25.075 seconds
• 90 degrees 55 minutes 34.537 seconds

• D. 29 degrees 14 minutes 3.214 seconds
• 90 degrees 55 minutes 34.626 seconds

The Secretary of the Department was authorized by the Commission to set closure dates and adjust sack limits and/or sacking-only areas based on biological harvest data or if enforcement issues are encountered. The Secretary is also authorized to take emergency action to reopen areas previously closed if the threat to the resource has ended and to open public areas if substantial oyster resources are located.

Public notice of any opening, delay or closing of a season will be provided at least 72 hours prior to such action, unless the Louisiana Department of Health orders such closure for public concerns.

For 2022-2023 oyster season maps, click here.
 
For more information, contact Carolina Bourque at cbourque@wlf.la.gov or 337-735-8726.