Species Regulations
You must return undersized fish back to the water unharmed; 5% (by number) of each species of commercial fish you harvest may be smaller than the legal limit. You
may harvest commercial species with no specified size limit in any size and quantity. No one may sell, purchase, barter, trade, or exchange undersized fish (or attempt
to do any of these activities).
Make sure that all saltwater finfish, except garfish, tuna, swordfish, and sharks, have their head and caudal fins intact until you put them on shore or sell them. Garfish
must retain a strip of skin sufficient to clearly identify the fish until you put them on shore or sell them. All sharks aboard your vessel must have their fins naturally
attached by at least some portion of uncut skin.
For the most current information, go to
www.wlf.louisiana.gov/fishing/commercial-finfish.
COMMON COASTAL SPECIES
Species
Size Limit
Harvest Limit
Season/Times
Other
Cobia
33 in. min. fork length Two fish per person
Black drum
16 in. min. total
length
• 16-27 in. total length:
annual quota of 3.25
million pounds
• Longer than 27 in. total
length: annual quota of
300,000 pounds
Fishing year begins Sept. 1; open
year-round, or until quota is
harvested
Southern
flounder
None
10 fish daily for each
licensed fisherman for each
consecutive day on the
water; however, commercial
shrimping vessels may
retain and sell all southern
flounder harvested as
bycatch on a shrimping trip
Year-round
King
mackerel
24 in. min. fork length 3,000 pounds per trip
Season begins Jul. 1, closes when
quota is reached
You must have a federal permit when fishing in federal
waters.
Spanish
mackerel
12 in. min. fork length None
Fishing year begins Apr. 1, closes
when quota is reached
You must have a federal permit when fishing in federal
waters.
Menhaden
None
• Bait: annual quota
of 3,000 metric tons
(6,613,800 pounds)
• Purse seine: none
• Purse seine: 3rd Mon. in Apr.
—Nov.
1
• Bait: Nov. 2—Dec.
1; if quota has
not been harvested by Dec. 1,
fishery may resume on Apr. 1 of
the following year until the quota
is harvested.
• You may only sell menhaden harvested
during bait
season as bait.
• You may not possess more than 5%, by
weight, of any
species other than menhaden and herring-like species.
• You may only use purse seines to harvest menhaden
or herring-like species. You may not use this gear for
any other purpose in state waters.
• You may only fish for menhaden in waters seaward of
the inside-outside line, including federal waters and
Chandeleur and Breton Sounds.
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You must return undersized fish back to the water unharmed; 5% (by number) of each species of commercial fish you harvest may be smaller than the legal limit. You
may harvest commercial species with no specified size limit in any size and quantity. No one may sell, purchase, barter, trade, or exchange undersized fish (or attempt
to do any of these activities).
Make sure that all saltwater finfish, except garfish, tuna, swordfish, and sharks, have their head and caudal fins intact until you put them on shore or sell them. Garfish
must retain a strip of skin sufficient to clearly identify the fish until you put them on shore or sell them. All sharks aboard your vessel must have their fins naturally
attached by at least some portion of uncut skin.
For the most current information, go to
www.wlf.louisiana.gov/fishing/commercial-finfish.
COMMON COASTAL SPECIES
Species
Size Limit
Harvest Limit
Season/Times
Other
Cobia
33 in. min. fork length Two fish per person
Black drum
16 in. min. total
length
• 16-27 in. total length:
annual quota of 3.25
million pounds
• Longer than 27 in. total
length: annual quota of
300,000 pounds
Fishing year begins Sept. 1; open
year-round, or until quota is
harvested
Southern
flounder
None
10 fish daily for each
licensed fisherman for each
consecutive day on the
water; however, commercial
shrimping vessels may
retain and sell all southern
flounder harvested as
bycatch on a shrimping trip
Year-round
King
mackerel
24 in. min. fork length 3,000 pounds per trip
Season begins Jul. 1, closes when
quota is reached
You must have a federal permit when fishing in federal
waters.
Spanish
mackerel
12 in. min. fork length None
Fishing year begins Apr. 1, closes
when quota is reached
You must have a federal permit when fishing in federal
waters.
Menhaden
None
• Bait: annual quota
of 3,000 metric tons
(6,613,800 pounds)
• Purse seine: none
• Purse seine: 3rd Mon. in Apr.
—Nov.
1
• Bait: Nov. 2—Dec.
1; if quota has
not been harvested by Dec. 1,
fishery may resume on Apr. 1 of
the following year until the quota
is harvested.
• You may only sell menhaden harvested
during bait
season as bait.
• You may not possess more than 5%, by
weight, of any
species other than menhaden and herring-like species.
• You may only use purse seines to harvest menhaden
or herring-like species. You may not use this gear for
any other purpose in state waters.
• You may only fish for menhaden in waters seaward of
the inside-outside line, including federal waters and
Chandeleur and Breton Sounds.
30
97