26 2017 Louisiana Fishing Regulations
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT FISHING IN GULF OF MEXICO
FEDERAL WATERS
dŚĞ 'ƵůĨ ŽĨ DĞdžŝĐŽ &ŝƐŚĞƌLJ DĂŶĂŐĞŵĞŶƚ
ŽƵŶĐŝů ŵĂŶĂŐĞƐ ĨĞĚĞƌĂů ǁĂƚĞƌƐ ĨƌŽŵ
ǁŚĞƌĞ ƚŚĞ >ŽƵŝƐŝĂŶĂ ŐƵůĨǁĂƌĚ ďŽƵŶĚĂƌLJ
ĞŶĚƐ ĂŶĚ ĞdžƚĞŶĚƐ ϮϬϬ ŵŝůĞƐ ƐĞĂǁĂƌĚ ŝŶƚŽ
ƚŚĞ 'ƵůĨ ŽĨ DĞdžŝĐŽ͘ >ŽƵŝƐŝĂŶĂ ƌĞĐƌĞĂƚŝŽŶĂů
ĂŶĚĐŽŵŵĞƌĐŝĂůĂŶŐůĞƌƐĨŝƐŚŝŶŐďĞLJŽŶĚƚŚĞ
ϯ ŶĂƵƚŝĐĂůͲŵŝůĞ >ŽƵŝƐŝĂŶĂ ŐƵůĨǁĂƌĚ ďŽƵŶĚĂƌLJĂƌĞŝŶĨĞĚĞƌĂůǁĂƚĞƌƐ͘
ΎEKd͗dŚĞ>ŽƵŝƐŝĂŶĂtŝůĚůŝĨĞĂŶĚ&ŝƐŚĞƌŝĞƐ
Commission passed a resolution to clarify
the effects of the extension of the state
water boundary from three to nine nautical
miles for reef fish management purposes,
ĂƐ ĞƐƚĂďůŝƐŚĞĚ ďLJ ƚŚĞ ϮϬϭϲ ŽŶƐŽůŝĚĂƚĞĚ
ƉƉƌŽƉƌŝĂƚŝŽŶƐ Đƚ͘ dŚĞ ƌĞƐŽůƵƚŝŽŶ ĐůĞĂƌůLJ
states that fishing gear used by the reef fish
fishermen in the commercial and recreational sectors will not change within these
ŶĞǁ ďŽƵŶĚĂƌLJ ǁĂƚĞƌƐ͘ dŚĞ ĨŝƐŚĞƌŵĞŶ ŽĨ
>ŽƵŝƐŝĂŶĂǁŝůůŚĂǀĞƚŚĞďĞŶĞĨŝƚŽĨ>ŽƵŝƐŝĂŶĂ͛Ɛ
reef fish management to 9 nautical miles,
but there will be no change to the method
ŽĨƚĂŬĞŽƌŐĞĂƌƌĞƐƚƌŝĐƚŝŽŶƐ͘WůĞĂƐĞĂůƐŽŶŽƚĞ
that red drum are not considered reef fish;
therefore, there is no change to regulations
impacting this species.
>t&ƌĞŵŝŶĚƐĐŚĂƌƚĞƌĨŝƐŚĞƌŵĞŶǁŝƚŚĨĞĚeral reef fish permits that they are only
allowed to fish these new boundary waters
when the federal recreational reef fish season is open. Federal reef fish permit regulations restrict the permit holder to the most
restrictive season.
dŚĞƐĞ ǁĂƚĞƌƐ ĂƌĞ ĂůƐŽ ŬŶŽǁŶ ĂƐ ƚŚĞ
džĐůƵƐŝǀĞ ĐŽŶŽŵŝĐ ŽŶĞ ;Ϳ͘ &ĞĚĞƌĂů
ĨŝƐŚŝŶŐƌĞŐƵůĂƚŝŽŶƐĂƌĞŶŽƚĂůǁĂLJƐƚŚĞƐĂŵĞ
ĂƐ ƐƚĂƚĞ ĨŝƐŚŝŶŐ ƌĞŐƵůĂƚŝŽŶƐ͘ dŽ ŵĂŬĞ ƐƵƌĞ
ƚŚĂƚ LJŽƵ ĂƌĞ ŝŶ ĐŽŵƉůĞƚĞ ĐŽŵƉůŝĂŶĐĞ ǁŝƚŚ
ĨĞĚĞƌĂůƌĞŐƵůĂƚŝŽŶƐĐĂůůƚŚĞ'ƵůĨŽƵŶĐŝůĂƚ
ϴϴϴͲϴϯϯͲϭϴϰϰ͕Žƌ ĞͲŵĂŝů ŐƵůĨĐŽƵŶĐŝůΛŐƵůĨĐŽƵŶĐŝů͘ŽƌŐ͘ sŝƐŝƚ gulfcouncil.org ĨŽƌ ŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƚŝŽŶ ĂďŽƵƚ ĨĞĚĞƌĂů ĨŝƐŚŝŶŐ ƌĞŐƵůĂƚŝŽŶƐ͕
ŵĞĂƐƵƌĞŵĞŶƚ ŐƵŝĚĞůŝŶĞƐ͕ ƐĂŶĐƚƵĂƌŝĞƐ Θ
ĐůŽƐƵƌĞƐĂŶĚĨŝƐŚŝĚĞŶƚŝĨŝĐĂƚŝŽŶĐŚĂƌƚƐ͘
LEGAL METHODS
^ŽŵĞƐƉĞĐŝĞƐŽĨŐĂŵĞĨŝƐŚŵĂLJŶŽƚďĞƚĂŬĞŶǁŝƚŚƚŚĞŐĞĂƌůŝƐƚĞĚďĞůŽǁ͘
ͻ ,ŽŽŬĂŶĚ>ŝŶĞ
ͻ dƌŽůůŝŶŐ>ŝŶĞ
ͻ ,ĂŶĚůŝŶĞ
ͻ ĂŝƚĂƐƚŝŶŐ
ͻ ZĞĐƌĞĂƚŝŽŶĂůƌĂǁĨŝƐŚdƌĂƉƐ;ŵƵƐƚďĞŵĂƌŬĞĚǁŝƚŚĂǁĂƚĞƌƉƌŽŽĨƚĂŐ͕ƉƌŽǀŝĚĞĚďLJƚŚĞ
ĨŝƐŚĞƌŵĂŶ͕ǁŝƚŚƚŚĞŶĂŵĞĂŶĚƌĞĐƌĞĂƚŝŽŶĂůŐĞĂƌůŝĐĞŶƐĞŶƵŵďĞƌŽĨƚŚĞĨŝƐŚĞƌŵĂŶůĞŐŝďůLJƉƌŝŶƚĞĚŽŶƚŚĞƚĂŐ͕ĂŶĚŵƵƐƚŚĂǀĞĂŵŝŶŝŵƵŵŵĞƐŚƐŝnjĞŽĨĂŚĞdžĂŐŽŶŽĨϯͬϰďLJ
ϭϭͬϭϲŽĨϭŝŶĐŚĨƌŽŵǁŝƌĞƚŽǁŝƌĞŶŽƚŝŶĐůƵĚŝŶŐĂŶLJĐŽĂƚŝŶŐŽŶƚŚĞǁŝƌĞͿ
ͻ ^ƚĂŶĚĂƌĚ^ƉĞĂƌŝŶŐƋƵŝƉŵĞŶƚ;ƵƐĞĚďLJĂƐŬŝŶĚŝǀĞƌƐƉŽƌƚĨŝƐŚŝŶŐŝŶƐĂůƚǁĂƚĞƌŽƌĨƌĞƐŚǁĂƚĞƌǁŚĞŶƐƵďŵĞƌŐĞĚŝŶƚŚĞǁĂƚĞƌͿ
ͻ ĂƌďůĞƐƐ ^ƉĞĂƌ Žƌ DƵůƚŝͲƉƌŽŶŐĞĚ ĂƌďĞĚ 'ŝŐ ;ŵĂLJ ďĞ ƵƐĞĚ ŝŶ ƐĂůƚǁĂƚĞƌ ĨŽƌ ƚĂŬŝŶŐ
ĨůŽƵŶĚĞƌKE>zͿ
METHODS FOR FISHING OR TAKING
SALTWATER FISH
dŚĞƌĞ ĂƌĞ ŵĂŶLJ ǁĂLJƐ ƚŽ ĐĂƚĐŚ ĨŝƐŚ ĂŶĚ ŽƚŚĞƌ ĂƋƵĂƚŝĐ ƐƉĞĐŝĞƐ ŝŶ >ŽƵŝƐŝĂŶĂ͛Ɛ ďĞĂƵƚŝĨƵů
ĐŽĂƐƚĂůǁĂƚĞƌƐ͘dŚĞŚĞĂĚŝŶŐƐďĞůŽǁĚĞĨŝŶĞƚŚĞůĞŐĂůŵĞƚŚŽĚƐĂŶĚŝůůĞŐĂůŵĞƚŚŽĚƐŽĨƚĂŬĞ͕
ƉůƵƐĐĞƌƚĂŝŶĞdžĐĞƉƚŝŽŶƐƚŚĂƚĂƌĞĂůůŽǁĞĚďLJƐƉĞĐŝĞƐ͕ŵĞƚŚŽĚƐĂŶĚůŽĐĂƚŝŽŶƐ͘
ůǁĂLJƐĐŚĞĐŬǁŝƚŚĂŶ>t&ŶĨŽƌĐĞŵĞŶƚKĨĨŝĐĞŝĨLJŽƵŚĂǀĞƋƵĞƐƚŝŽŶƐ͘
SALTWATER FISHING
ͻ zŽͲLJŽƐŽƌdƌŝŐŐĞƌĞǀŝĐĞƐ
ͻ ŽǁĂŶĚƌƌŽǁ
ͻ ŝƉEĞƚƐ
ͻ &ůLJĂƐƚŝŶŐƉƉĂƌĂƚƵƐ
139
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT FISHING IN GULF OF MEXICO
FEDERAL WATERS
dŚĞ 'ƵůĨ ŽĨ DĞdžŝĐŽ &ŝƐŚĞƌLJ DĂŶĂŐĞŵĞŶƚ
ŽƵŶĐŝů ŵĂŶĂŐĞƐ ĨĞĚĞƌĂů ǁĂƚĞƌƐ ĨƌŽŵ
ǁŚĞƌĞ ƚŚĞ >ŽƵŝƐŝĂŶĂ ŐƵůĨǁĂƌĚ ďŽƵŶĚĂƌLJ
ĞŶĚƐ ĂŶĚ ĞdžƚĞŶĚƐ ϮϬϬ ŵŝůĞƐ ƐĞĂǁĂƌĚ ŝŶƚŽ
ƚŚĞ 'ƵůĨ ŽĨ DĞdžŝĐŽ͘ >ŽƵŝƐŝĂŶĂ ƌĞĐƌĞĂƚŝŽŶĂů
ĂŶĚĐŽŵŵĞƌĐŝĂůĂŶŐůĞƌƐĨŝƐŚŝŶŐďĞLJŽŶĚƚŚĞ
ϯ ŶĂƵƚŝĐĂůͲŵŝůĞ >ŽƵŝƐŝĂŶĂ ŐƵůĨǁĂƌĚ ďŽƵŶĚĂƌLJĂƌĞŝŶĨĞĚĞƌĂůǁĂƚĞƌƐ͘
ΎEKd͗dŚĞ>ŽƵŝƐŝĂŶĂtŝůĚůŝĨĞĂŶĚ&ŝƐŚĞƌŝĞƐ
Commission passed a resolution to clarify
the effects of the extension of the state
water boundary from three to nine nautical
miles for reef fish management purposes,
ĂƐ ĞƐƚĂďůŝƐŚĞĚ ďLJ ƚŚĞ ϮϬϭϲ ŽŶƐŽůŝĚĂƚĞĚ
ƉƉƌŽƉƌŝĂƚŝŽŶƐ Đƚ͘ dŚĞ ƌĞƐŽůƵƚŝŽŶ ĐůĞĂƌůLJ
states that fishing gear used by the reef fish
fishermen in the commercial and recreational sectors will not change within these
ŶĞǁ ďŽƵŶĚĂƌLJ ǁĂƚĞƌƐ͘ dŚĞ ĨŝƐŚĞƌŵĞŶ ŽĨ
>ŽƵŝƐŝĂŶĂǁŝůůŚĂǀĞƚŚĞďĞŶĞĨŝƚŽĨ>ŽƵŝƐŝĂŶĂ͛Ɛ
reef fish management to 9 nautical miles,
but there will be no change to the method
ŽĨƚĂŬĞŽƌŐĞĂƌƌĞƐƚƌŝĐƚŝŽŶƐ͘WůĞĂƐĞĂůƐŽŶŽƚĞ
that red drum are not considered reef fish;
therefore, there is no change to regulations
impacting this species.
>t&ƌĞŵŝŶĚƐĐŚĂƌƚĞƌĨŝƐŚĞƌŵĞŶǁŝƚŚĨĞĚeral reef fish permits that they are only
allowed to fish these new boundary waters
when the federal recreational reef fish season is open. Federal reef fish permit regulations restrict the permit holder to the most
restrictive season.
dŚĞƐĞ ǁĂƚĞƌƐ ĂƌĞ ĂůƐŽ ŬŶŽǁŶ ĂƐ ƚŚĞ
džĐůƵƐŝǀĞ ĐŽŶŽŵŝĐ ŽŶĞ ;Ϳ͘ &ĞĚĞƌĂů
ĨŝƐŚŝŶŐƌĞŐƵůĂƚŝŽŶƐĂƌĞŶŽƚĂůǁĂLJƐƚŚĞƐĂŵĞ
ĂƐ ƐƚĂƚĞ ĨŝƐŚŝŶŐ ƌĞŐƵůĂƚŝŽŶƐ͘ dŽ ŵĂŬĞ ƐƵƌĞ
ƚŚĂƚ LJŽƵ ĂƌĞ ŝŶ ĐŽŵƉůĞƚĞ ĐŽŵƉůŝĂŶĐĞ ǁŝƚŚ
ĨĞĚĞƌĂůƌĞŐƵůĂƚŝŽŶƐĐĂůůƚŚĞ'ƵůĨŽƵŶĐŝůĂƚ
ϴϴϴͲϴϯϯͲϭϴϰϰ͕Žƌ ĞͲŵĂŝů ŐƵůĨĐŽƵŶĐŝůΛŐƵůĨĐŽƵŶĐŝů͘ŽƌŐ͘ sŝƐŝƚ gulfcouncil.org ĨŽƌ ŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƚŝŽŶ ĂďŽƵƚ ĨĞĚĞƌĂů ĨŝƐŚŝŶŐ ƌĞŐƵůĂƚŝŽŶƐ͕
ŵĞĂƐƵƌĞŵĞŶƚ ŐƵŝĚĞůŝŶĞƐ͕ ƐĂŶĐƚƵĂƌŝĞƐ Θ
ĐůŽƐƵƌĞƐĂŶĚĨŝƐŚŝĚĞŶƚŝĨŝĐĂƚŝŽŶĐŚĂƌƚƐ͘
LEGAL METHODS
^ŽŵĞƐƉĞĐŝĞƐŽĨŐĂŵĞĨŝƐŚŵĂLJŶŽƚďĞƚĂŬĞŶǁŝƚŚƚŚĞŐĞĂƌůŝƐƚĞĚďĞůŽǁ͘
ͻ ,ŽŽŬĂŶĚ>ŝŶĞ
ͻ dƌŽůůŝŶŐ>ŝŶĞ
ͻ ,ĂŶĚůŝŶĞ
ͻ ĂŝƚĂƐƚŝŶŐ
ͻ ZĞĐƌĞĂƚŝŽŶĂůƌĂǁĨŝƐŚdƌĂƉƐ;ŵƵƐƚďĞŵĂƌŬĞĚǁŝƚŚĂǁĂƚĞƌƉƌŽŽĨƚĂŐ͕ƉƌŽǀŝĚĞĚďLJƚŚĞ
ĨŝƐŚĞƌŵĂŶ͕ǁŝƚŚƚŚĞŶĂŵĞĂŶĚƌĞĐƌĞĂƚŝŽŶĂůŐĞĂƌůŝĐĞŶƐĞŶƵŵďĞƌŽĨƚŚĞĨŝƐŚĞƌŵĂŶůĞŐŝďůLJƉƌŝŶƚĞĚŽŶƚŚĞƚĂŐ͕ĂŶĚŵƵƐƚŚĂǀĞĂŵŝŶŝŵƵŵŵĞƐŚƐŝnjĞŽĨĂŚĞdžĂŐŽŶŽĨϯͬϰďLJ
ϭϭͬϭϲŽĨϭŝŶĐŚĨƌŽŵǁŝƌĞƚŽǁŝƌĞŶŽƚŝŶĐůƵĚŝŶŐĂŶLJĐŽĂƚŝŶŐŽŶƚŚĞǁŝƌĞͿ
ͻ ^ƚĂŶĚĂƌĚ^ƉĞĂƌŝŶŐƋƵŝƉŵĞŶƚ;ƵƐĞĚďLJĂƐŬŝŶĚŝǀĞƌƐƉŽƌƚĨŝƐŚŝŶŐŝŶƐĂůƚǁĂƚĞƌŽƌĨƌĞƐŚǁĂƚĞƌǁŚĞŶƐƵďŵĞƌŐĞĚŝŶƚŚĞǁĂƚĞƌͿ
ͻ ĂƌďůĞƐƐ ^ƉĞĂƌ Žƌ DƵůƚŝͲƉƌŽŶŐĞĚ ĂƌďĞĚ 'ŝŐ ;ŵĂLJ ďĞ ƵƐĞĚ ŝŶ ƐĂůƚǁĂƚĞƌ ĨŽƌ ƚĂŬŝŶŐ
ĨůŽƵŶĚĞƌKE>zͿ
METHODS FOR FISHING OR TAKING
SALTWATER FISH
dŚĞƌĞ ĂƌĞ ŵĂŶLJ ǁĂLJƐ ƚŽ ĐĂƚĐŚ ĨŝƐŚ ĂŶĚ ŽƚŚĞƌ ĂƋƵĂƚŝĐ ƐƉĞĐŝĞƐ ŝŶ >ŽƵŝƐŝĂŶĂ͛Ɛ ďĞĂƵƚŝĨƵů
ĐŽĂƐƚĂůǁĂƚĞƌƐ͘dŚĞŚĞĂĚŝŶŐƐďĞůŽǁĚĞĨŝŶĞƚŚĞůĞŐĂůŵĞƚŚŽĚƐĂŶĚŝůůĞŐĂůŵĞƚŚŽĚƐŽĨƚĂŬĞ͕
ƉůƵƐĐĞƌƚĂŝŶĞdžĐĞƉƚŝŽŶƐƚŚĂƚĂƌĞĂůůŽǁĞĚďLJƐƉĞĐŝĞƐ͕ŵĞƚŚŽĚƐĂŶĚůŽĐĂƚŝŽŶƐ͘
ůǁĂLJƐĐŚĞĐŬǁŝƚŚĂŶ>t&ŶĨŽƌĐĞŵĞŶƚKĨĨŝĐĞŝĨLJŽƵŚĂǀĞƋƵĞƐƚŝŽŶƐ͘
SALTWATER FISHING
ͻ zŽͲLJŽƐŽƌdƌŝŐŐĞƌĞǀŝĐĞƐ
ͻ ŽǁĂŶĚƌƌŽǁ
ͻ ŝƉEĞƚƐ
ͻ &ůLJĂƐƚŝŶŐƉƉĂƌĂƚƵƐ
139