2022 LOUISIANA
COMMERCIAL AND FORHIRE
FISHERIES RULES & REGULATIONS
Photo by Shutterstock.com
U
pdated 3/10/22
CONTENTS
General Info
Contact Info
Licenses and Permits
Trip Tickets
Measuring Fish
Shrimp
Crab
Oyster
Legal Finsh Gear
Saltwater Finsh
Freshwater Finsh
Crawsh
Reptiles and Amphibians
Industry Resources
For-Hire Operators/Charter Vessels
1
2
3
7
8
9
12
14
20
22
26
29
30
31
32
This public document was published at a total cost of $3,247.20. 6,000 copies of this public document were published in the first printing at a cost of $3,247.20. This document
was published by OTS-Office of State Printing, 627 North 4th St, Baton Rouge, LA 70802 for the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to inform residents and non-resi-
dents of the rules and regulations pertaining to commercial and for-hire fishing in Louisiana. This material was printed in accordance with the standards for printing by state
agencies established pursuant to R.S. 43:31. Printing of this material was purchased in accordance with the provisions of Title 43 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes.
WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES COMMISSION
Jerri G. Smitko, chairman
William J. “Joe” McPherson, vice-chairman
Andrew Blanchard
Dusty J. Guidry
William D. “Bill’’ Hogan
Harlie E. “Gene” Reynolds
Alfred R. “Al” Sunseri
John Bel Edwards, Governor
Jack Montoucet, Secretary
Robert E. Shadoin, Deputy Secretary
Bryan McClinton, Undersecretary
Patrick Banks, Fisheries Assistant Secretary
Randy Myers, Wildlife Assistant Secretary
DIVISION ADMINISTRATORS
Jason Froeba, Fisheries Research & Development
Kenneth Ribbeck, Wildlife
Col. Chad Hebert, Enforcement
1
Louisiana’s salt and freshwater areas are divided by a line that runs from the
Intracoastal Waterway from the Texas-Louisiana boundary to its juncon
with Louisiana Highway 27 at Gibbstown, south to Louisiana Highway 82,
east to its juncon with the Intracoastal Waterway from Forked Island to
Bayou Barataria to the Harvey Canal, the Harvey Canal to the Mississippi
River, the Mississippi River to the Industrial Canal, the Industrial Canal
to the Intracoastal Waterway, the Intracoastal Waterway to the Rigolets
in Orleans Parish to the Louisville and Nashville Railroad Bridge, and the
GENERAL INFO
THIS PUBLICATION IS NOT AN OFFICIAL COPY OF THE LAWS AND SHOULD NOT BE RELIED UPON AS SUCH. THIS PUBLICATION SUMMARIZES
EXISTING LAWS IN EFFECT. AS LAWS MAY CHANGE FOLLOWING THE PRINTING OF THIS PUBLICATION, THE ACCURACY OF THE INFORMATION
HEREIN IS NOT GUARANTEED. IT IS THE OBLIGATION AND RESPONSIBILITY OF THE READER TO BE AWARE OF CURRENT LAWS AT ALL TIMES,
INCLUDING LOUISIANA REVISED STATUTES TITLES 51 AND 56, OFFICIAL REGULATIONS OF THE LOUISIANA WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES
COMMISSION, LOCAL AND PARISH ORDINANCES, FEDERAL LAWS, AND NATIONAL SHELLFISH SANITATION PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS. VISIT
WWW.WLF.LA.GOV/SUBHOME/COMMERCIAL-FISHING FOR DETAILS.
Saltwater/Freshwater Line
State vs. Federal Waters
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF), the Louisiana
Wildlife and Fisheries Commission (Commission) and the Louisiana
Legislature manage sheries in state waters; the Gulf of Mexico Fishery
Management Council (Gulf Council) and the Naonal Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administraon‘s Naonal Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA
Fisheries) manage sheries in federal waters. Generally, Louisiana state
waters extend 3 naucal miles from the nearest land; federal waters extend
from 3 naucal miles to 200 naucal miles. However, for reef sh shery
Louisville and Nashville Railroad right-of way from the Orleans Parish line
to the Mississippi state line. Areas north of this line are freshwater. Areas
south of this line are saltwater, including Lakes Maurepas, Pontchartrain,
and St. Catherine, Chef Menteur Pass (except a 7/10-mile secon from
Bayou Sauvage south to the Intracoastal Waterway), the Rigolets,
Unknown Pass, Pass Manchac, the Intracoastal Waterway, and the poron
of the Calcasieu Ship Channel from the Intracoastal Waterway south to the
Gulf of Mexico.
management, Louisiana waters extend to 9 naucal miles. Fishermen
should stay informed of the state/federal jurisdiconal boundary as future
congressional acons may aect the current boundary demarcaon as it
applies to reef sh species. If a future congressional acon modies the
state/federal jurisdiconal boundary, it will not impact the type of shing
gear reef sh shermen may use.
2
CONTACT INFO
FRESHWATER FISHERIES
Baton Rouge 225.765.2337
Lacombe 985.882.0027
Lafayee 337.262.2080
Lake Charles 337.491.2577
Minden 318.371.3050
Monroe 318.343.4044
Natchitoches 318.357.3214
Pineville 318.487.5885
SALTWATER FISHERIES
Bourg 985.594.4139
Grand Isle 985.787.2163
Lacombe 985.882.0027
Lafayee 337.262.2080
Lake Charles 337.491.2579
New Orleans 504.284.2030
HEADQUARTERS: Baton Rouge - 225.765.2987
REGION 1: Minden - 318.371.3049
Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Claiborne, Desoto, Red River and Webster
parishes
REGION 2: Monroe - 318.343.2417
Caldwell, East Carroll, Franklin, Jackson, Lincoln, Madison, Morehouse,
Ouachita, Richland, Tensas, Union and West Carroll parishes
REGION 3: Pineville - 318.487.5634
Avoyelles, Catahoula, Concordia, Grant, LaSalle, Natchitoches, Rapides,
Sabine, Vernon and Winn parishes
Iberia, Iberville, Lafayee, Pointe Coupee, St. Landry, St. Marn and West
Baton Rouge parishes
REGION 5: Lake Charles - 337.491.2580
Acadia, Allen, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, Evangeline, Jeerson
Davis and Vermilion parishes
REGION 6: Thibodaux - 985.447.0821
Assumpon, Lafourche, Lower St. Marn, St. James, St. John the Bapst,
St. Mary and Terrebonne parishes
REGION 7: Baton Rouge - 225.765.2999
Ascension, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Livingston, St. Helena,
Tangipahoa, Washington and West Feliciana parishes
REGION 8: New Orleans - 504.284.2023
Jeerson, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles and St.
Tammany parishes
2000 Quail Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70808
225.765.2800
www.wlf.la.gov/shing
Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council
888.833.1844; gulfcouncil.org
877.376.4877; sero.nmfs.noaa.gov
NOAA Fisheries Highly Migratory Species Division
888.872.8862; www.sheries.noaa.gov/topic/atlanc-highly-
migratory-species
Louisiana Department of Health (LDH)
225.342.9500; www.ldh.la.gov
Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF)
866.927.2476; www.ldaf.state.la.us
LDWF’s Law Enforcement Division is responsible for ensuring compliance
with rules and regulaons through regular patrols and invesgaons.
LDWF partners with NOAA Fisheries and U.S. Coast Guard enforcement
agents and ocers to increase their enforcement capabilies and carry
out their important mission in Louisiana’s waters and beyond. Penales
for violaons vary with the severity of the violaon and include nes, jail
me, loss of shing license and forfeiture of property.
REPORT FISHING VIOLATIONS
800.442.2511
24 hours a day - 7 days a week
1. The prices for many licenses and permits have changed. Please see the
summary of license and permit fees for details.
2. We now oer annual resident and non-resident freshwater charter
boat shing guide licenses.
3. We now oer a Gulf Seafood Traversing and Ooading License.
4. Commercial shermen can now purchase a secondary fresh products
license for any designated individual, not just a spouse.
Major Changes for 2022 Commercial Regulations
5. The cost of a vessel license for a resident is now $32.50 for the rst
vessel, $25 for the second vessel, and $17.50 for the third and any
subsequent vessel. The cost of a vessel license for non-residents is
$230.
6. In addion to the oyster seed ground vessel permit, in order to harvest
oysters from public grounds, a person shall be in possession of a public
oyster seed ground gear license. The public oyster seed ground gear
license allows harvest of oysters from public seed grounds using a
single scraper, tongs, or by hand.
7. Senior commercial sherman must obtain the necessary gear licenses.
LDWF Headquarters
LDWF Regional Oces
LDWF Law Enforcement
Other Important Contacts
3
LICENSES AND PERMITS
2022 license year starts
November 15, 2021
Resident
Fee
Nonresident
Fee
GENERAL LICENSES
Commercial Fisherman License $75.50 $540
Senior Commercial Fisherman License
(residents age 70 and older; does not
include gear)
$35 N/A
Vessel License (required south of
saltwater line)
$32.50 $230
Vessel License 2nd $25 $230
Vessel License 3rd and Subsequent $17.50 $230
Traversing Permit No fee No fee
Gulf Seafood Traversing & Ooading $75 $800
Apprence License $37.50 $287.50
SEAFOOD BUSINESS
Wholesale/Retail Seafood Dealer
License - Business or Vehicle
$400
(or $1,600
for four
years)
$1,652.50
(or $6,610
for four
years)
Seafood Transport License (must
possess a Wholesale/Retail and/or a
Commercial Fisherman License)
$56.50
(or $226
for four
years)
$56.50
(or $226 for
four years)
Fresh Products License (Commercial
Fisherman License required)
$40.50 $210
Fresh Products License - Other (any
designated individual)
$5 N/A
GUIDING
Saltwater Charter Boat Fishing Guide
License (up to 6 passengers)
$275 $1,750
Saltwater Charter Boat Fishing Guide
License (more than 6 passengers)
$600 $2,500
Mothership License (up to 6 skis) $1,250 $1,250
Mothership License (more than 6 skis) $2,500 $2,500
Charter Ski License (per ski, 2
persons per ski limit)
$62.50 $62.50
Freshwater Charter Boat Fishing Guide
License
$150 $1,000
Recreaonal Oshore Landing Permit No fee No fee
SHRIMP
Shrimp Gear Fee (one-me annually) $10 $40
Freshwater Shrimp Net License $25 $100
Shrimp Trawl License (per trawl) $25 $100
Buery Net License (per net) $25 $100
Skimmer Net License (per net) $25 $100
Special Bait Dealer Permit $110 N/A
Special Bait Dealer Permit Bond Fee $1,000 N/A
Contact: 225.765.2887 or 225.765.2898
Summary of License and Permit Fees
Resident
Fee
Non-
Resident Fee
REPTILES & AMPHIBIANS
Alligator Parts Dealer License (expires
June 30)
$77.50 $77.50
Alligator Parts Retailer License (expires
June 30)
$7.50 $7.50
Reple and Amphibian Collector
License (age 18 and older)
$40 $310
Reple and Amphibian Collector
License (under age 18)
$10 N/A
Reple and Amphibian Wholesale/
Retail Dealer License
$162.50 $642.50
Nonresident Reple and Amphibian
Wholesale/Retail Dealer License (3-
day)
N/A $112.50
Reple and Amphibian Transport
License
$47.50 $185
CRAWFISH
Crawsh Trap License (any legal
number)
$25 $100
CRAB
Crab Trap License (any legal number) $50 $200
Wholesale Out-of-State Crab Shipping
License (includes retail)
$170 $170
OYSTER
Oyster Harvester License (captain
only)
$100 $400
Oyster Tong License (per tong) $40 $320
Oyster Scraper License (per scraper) $37.50 $300
Public Oyster Seed Ground Vessel
Permit
$50 $200
Public Oyster Seed Ground Gear
License (single scraper, tongs, by hand)
$200 $800
Calcasieu Lake Oyster Harvester Permit No fee No fee
Out-of-State Oyster Landing Permit $100 $100
Oyster Importaon Permit No fee No fee
Alternave Oyster Culture (AOC)
Permit
$100 N/A
Oyster Cargo Vessel Permit $250 $1,105
MUSSELS & OTHER
Mussel Harvester Permit (captain
only)
$100 $1,000
Mussel Buyer's Permit $150 $600
Domescated Aquac Organism
License
$20 $450
4
Applying for a License or Permit
Expired Licenses and Permits
Resident License Requirements
To apply for LDWF-issued licenses, contact 225.765.2898 or visit LDWF’s headquarters at 2000 Quail Drive in Baton Rouge, Monday through Friday,
8:00 am to 4:00 p.m. You must provide proof of residency for your domiciliary state. If you’re applying for a license in a business name, you must
provide documentaon of valid federal tax ID number assigned to your business name and authorized signature OR an occupaonal license. To obtain a
Recreaonal Oshore Landing permit, go to www.wlf.la.gov/rolp.
All commercial licenses expire Dec. 31 each year, unless otherwise noted. Renew your license in person or online at www.wlf.la.gov/page/commercial-
licenses-and-permits.
To qualify for a resident license, you must be a Bona Fide Resident. You
are a Bona Fide Resident if you have resided in the state connuously
during the 12 months immediately prior to the date you apply for any
license and if you’ve established Louisiana as your legal domicile. You must
demonstrate compliance with all of the following, as applicable:
• If you are registered to vote, you are registered to vote in Louisiana.
• If you are licensed to drive a motor vehicle, you have a valid Louisiana
drivers license.
• If you own a motor vehicle located within Louisiana, you have a valid
Louisiana registraon for that vehicle.
• If you earn an income, you have led a Louisiana state income tax
return and have complied with state income tax law and regulaons.
With respect to a corporaon or other legal enty, a resident is
incorporated or otherwise organized under and subject to the laws of
Louisiana, is domiciled in Louisiana and has a permanent physical locaon
of business in Louisiana where records are held.
Any person, corporaon or other legal enty that possesses a resident
license from any other state or country shall not qualify for a resident
license in Louisiana.
Commercial License Fees cont...
Resident
Fee
Non-
Resident Fee
SALTWATER FISH
Other Saltwater Gear (includes cans, buckets, pipes, drums, res, cast net, dip net,
ounder/garsh gig, bow and arrow, spear gun, eel pot, hoop net, minnow trap, set
lines [trot, bush, yo-yos, triggers, etc.], slat trap)
$37.50 $150
Purse/Menhaden Seine License (per seine) $1,252.50 $5,010
Spoed Seatrout Permit $125 $500
Rod and Reel License (saltwater; any legal number) $300 $1,200
Shark Permit $12.50 $12.50
Pompano Permit (captain only) No fee No fee
Pompano Strike Net License (per net) $275 $1,100
Mullet Permit (captain only) $100 $400
Mullet Strike Net License (per net) $275 $1,100
FRESHWATER FISH
Other Freshwater Gear (any legal number; includes cans, buckets, pipes, drums, res,
cast net, dip net, garsh gig, bow and arrow, spear gun, gill net, hoop net, minnow
trap, seine, slat trap, set lines [trot, bush, yo-yos, triggers, etc.], trammel net, wire net)
$37.50 $150
Shad Gill Net License $37.50 $150
Shad Seine License (freshwater) $37.50 $150
Triploid Grass Carp Sales Permit $250 $250
Triploid Grass Carp Possession and Transport Permit $50 $50
5
If you: You must have a/an: Fees and notes:
Operate a commercial shing
vessel
Commercial Fisherman
License OR Senior
Commercial Fisherman
License (if a resident age 70
or older)
$75.50 resident, $540 nonresident; senior: $35 resident. License is personal and not
transferable. It allows you to transport and sell your catch to any licensed wholesale/
retail seafood dealer in Louisiana. If you transport your catch out of state, sell to a
retail seafood dealer, restaurant or retail grocer or purchase sh for resale, you must
become a licensed Wholesale/Retail Seafood Dealer. You must have a Fresh Products
License to transport and sell your catch to a consumer within in the state.
Gather reples and
amphibians for sale
Reple and Amphibian
Collector License
$40 resident/$10 resident under age 18, $310 nonresident
Use or possess commercial
shing gear
Commercial Gear License
You must have a license for each piece of gear you’re using, unless otherwise noted.
See specic species secon for details. Gear licenses are temporarily transferable
between licensed commercial shermen of the same residency status, EXCEPT crab
trap gear licenses are not transferable. Nonresidents may not purchase licenses for
gear that is prohibited in their home state.
Have a vessel shing
commercially in the saltwater
areas of Louisiana
Vessel License
$32.50 for rst vessel, $25.00 for second vessel, and $ 17.50 any addional vessel for
residents, $230 for nonresidents (all vessels); this license is specic to the individual’s
vessel and must be in the vessel owner’s name.
Sell your catch to anyone who
doesn’t have a Wholesale/
Retail Seafood Dealer License
(besides consumers) or
transport your catch out of
state
Wholesale/Retail Seafood
Dealer License
$400 resident, $1,652.50 nonresident. Trip Tickets required (see page 7).
Sell your catch directly to
consumers within Louisiana
Fresh Products License
$40.50 resident, $210 nonresident. Any designated individual may purchase a Fresh
Products - Other License for $5 to sell directly to consumers. Trip Tickets required (see
page 7). This license does not allow the sale of oysters.
Harvest commercially in
Federal waters and travel
through Louisiana State
waters with harvested catch
and/or commercial gear
Gulf Seafood Traversing &
Ooading License
$75 resident, $800 nonresident. Any commercial sherman harvesng commercially
in Federal water may purchase this license to travel through Louisiana waters.
Dealers, Retailers and Processors
To purchase, resell or process seafood products, bait, reples or amphibians in Louisiana, you must have one of the following licenses issued by LDWF,
unless otherwise noted. You also must have addional licenses and/or permits to buy, sell or process some species (see each species secon for details). If
you only sell cooked seafood for immediate consumpon by a consumer, you are exempt from license requirements but must sll follow all reporng and
records requirements. However, you must obtain a wholesale/retail license if selling raw seafood or sushi, or you transport the seafood to your business
(must also have transport license).
If you: You must have a/an: Fees and notes:
Buy, acquire or handle seafood
products or bait from licensed
commercial shermen or
wholesale/retail seafood dealers
from in or out of the state for sale
or resale or for sale to consumers
for personal or household use
Wholesale/Retail Seafood
Dealer Business License OR
Wholesale/Retail Seafood
Dealer Vehicle License if
selling from a vehicle
$400 resident, $1,652.50 nonresident. You may buy from licensed commercial
shermen, licensed wholesale/retail dealers in Louisiana and from out of
state, or sell directly to consumers for personal or household use. When buying
seafood products for which a permit is required (mullet, reef sh, spoed
seatrout, shark, tuna, etc.), you may only buy from commercial shermen who
have the required permit. You may ship seafood products within and out of
Louisiana to consumers for personal or household use. There are no restricons
on whom you may sell to. You are also licensed to transport sh. Trip Tickets
required (see page 7). Restaurants and grocers are exempt from these license
requirements if they only sell fully prepared seafood products for immediate
consumpon.
Buy, acquire or handle for resale
or sell any nave reples or
amphibians, including those reared
in capvity
Reple and Amphibian
Wholesale/Retail Dealer
License
$162.50 resident, $642.50 nonresident. Nonresidents may instead purchase a
Three-Day Reple and Amphibian Wholesale/Retail Dealer License ($112.50; valid
for three consecuve days). Licensed wholesale/retail seafood dealers are exempt
from this license requirement. Trip Tickets required (see page 7).
Commercial Harvesters
To take or possess shrimp, crab, oysters or nsh in Louisiana waters or gather reples and/or amphibians for commercial purposes, you must have one
or more of the following licenses issued by LDWF. You also must have addional licenses and permits to harvest some species, use certain gears and/or
operate in federal waters (see each species secon for details).
6
If you: You must have a/an: Fees and notes:
Are a licensed wholesale/
retail seafood dealer
delivering seafood with a
Wholesale/Retail Business
License
Seafood Transport License
$56.50 per vehicle (residents and nonresidents); can only be purchased by a
licensed Louisiana commercial sherman or wholesale/retail seafood dealer; issued
in the purchaser’s name. If you’re transporng sh under a transport license, you
may not buy or sell and sh (unless working under a transport license purchased in
connecon with a wholesale/retail seafood dealer license and buying sh for and
transporng such sh to the dealer to whom the license was issued). A dealer may
purchase any number of transport licenses; transport licenses are freely transferable
between vehicles, but the licensee remains responsible for all acvies conducted
under that license.
Are a licensed wholesale/
retail seafood dealer
delivering seafood with a
Wholesale/Retail Vehicle
License
No addional transport license
necessary
Are transporng a
commercial sherman’s
catch to a wholesale/
retail dealer for sale
Seafood Transport License
Ship seafood out of state
Wholesale/Retail Seafood Dealer
License OR Seafood Transport
License purchased with the
dealer license
• Dealer License: $400 resident, $1,652.50 nonresident
• Seafood Transport License: $56.50 for residents and nonresidents
• An addional license is required to ship crabs out of state (see ‘Addional Dealer
Requirements’ under ‘Crabs’ on page 13)
Operate commercial
transport vehicles and
load, unload or transport
reples or amphibians
Reple and Amphibian Collector
License, Reple and Amphibian
Wholesale/Retail Dealer License
OR Reple and Amphibian
Transport License OR Wholesale/
Retail Seafood Dealer Vehicle
License OR Wholesale/Retail
Seafood Business License, along
with a Seafood Transport License
• Collector License: $40 resident/$10 resident under age 18, $310 nonresident.
• Dealer License: $162.50 resident, $642.50 nonresident. Nonresidents may instead
purchase a Three-Day Reple and Amphibian Wholesale/Retail Dealer License
($112.50; valid for three consecuve days).
• Transport License: $47.50/vehicle resident, $185/vehicle nonresident; transferable
between vehicles. Only licensed reple and amphibian collectors or wholesale/
retail dealers may purchase. Transport license holders may not buy/sell reples or
amphibians unless buying on behalf of the dealer to whom the transport license
was issued and transporng the purchase back to them.
Import live viable oysters,
regardless of life stage and
ploidy, and intend to place
those oysters or their
progeny, regardless if they
are contained or released,
in Louisiana waters
Oyster Importaon Permit
• No fee.
• Only oysters from the northern Gulf of Mexico will be considered for perming.
• Applicaons are considered on a case-by-case basis.
• A copy of the permit, importaon protocol, and Oyster Health Cercate must
remain with the oysters during transport events into Louisiana.
• The permiee must nofy LDWF at least 48 hours in advance of each importaon
event.
Transporters
To operate any commercial transport vehicle and load, unload or transport sh, reples or amphibians, you must have one of the following LDWF-
issued licenses. Common carriers are exempt from these license requirements. In addion, transport license requirements do not apply to processed
sh or sh products (drying to a point of dehydraon, canning, salng, breading and cooking for immediate consumpon).
Shipping Requirements
Seafood transporters must mark all vehicles used to transport seafood
with the name and address of their company, plainly mark all shipments
containing seafood products or bait, and aach records, tags, or cercates
showing names of the buyer and seller and an itemized statement of
the number of pounds of seafood or bait and the names of each kind
or species of seafood or bait in the shipment. Bills of lading issued by a
common carrier for shipments of seafood products or bait must state the
number of packages that contain seafood products or bait and the date
and names of the buyer and seller and include an itemized statement of
the number of pounds of seafood or bait and the names of each kind
or species of seafood or bait in the shipment. Shipments are subject to
inspecon while in transit and upon leaving the state.
Reple and amphibian transporters must plainly mark all shipments
containing reples or amphibians and aach tags or cercates showing
names of the buyer and seller and an itemized statement of each kind of
reple or amphibian in the shipment. Bills of lading issued by a common
carrier for shipments of reples or amphibians must state the number of
packages that contain reples, or amphibians. Out-of-state shipments of
reples or amphibians ordinarily used for human consumpon must be
registered at some port of exit and inspected.
Additional Information
New retail seafood dealers should contact the state sanitarian in the parish they plan to operate to submit a building plan review quesonnaire along
with a detailed, scale-drawn oor plan of the facility. Once approved, your establishment will be inspected from one to four mes a year, based on your
risk category. Find your local sanitarian at: hp://new.dhh.louisiana.gov/index.cfm/page/394.
7
TRIP TICKETS
Contact: 225.765.2449 or triptickets@wlf.la.gov
Trip Ticket Requirements
When a licensed commercial sherman or reple and amphibian
collector sells or transfers his catch to a wholesale/retail seafood dealer
or wholesale/retail reple and amphibian dealer, he must present his
license to the dealer for license vericaon and provide the dealer with
informaon necessary to complete a commercial trip cket. The dealer
must record the sale or transfer on a three-part LDWF-issued trip cket
form and include the following informaon:
• The sherman’s or reple and amphibian collector’s name and
license number
• The dealer’s name and license number
• Transacon date
• Gear
• Vessel used
• Primary locaon of where the sh/reples/amphibians were caught
• Duraon of the shing trip
• Species idencaon
• Quanty and units of each species
• Size and condion of each species
• Unit price of each species
Electronic Trip Tickets
Free computerized trip cket data entry soware is also available for wholesale/retail seafood dealers and wholesale/retail reple and amphibian dealers.
This electronic trip cket program completely replaces the paper cket system, electronically collects and sends all informaon required by the state,
tracks all monies owed and paid to commercial shermen/reple and amphibian collectors, tracks deducons, generates reports, prints checks, and
exports data. Dealers must sll mail LDWF a copy of their monthly submission sheet generated by the electronic program and a completed electronic
signature log by the 10th of each month for the preceding month. If you’re interested in using the electronic trip cket program to enter and submit trip
cket informaon, please contact the Trip Ticket oce at tripckets@wlf.la.gov or 225.765.2449.
The commercial sherman/reple and amphibian collector and dealer
must sign each trip cket aesng that the informaon is correct.
The dealer retains one part of the trip cket, provides the commercial
sherman/reple and amphibian collector with one part and submits one
part to LDWF.
When a commercial sherman sells his catch under a Fresh Products
License, he must record all informaon required on the commercial
trip cket form, using his Fresh Products License number in place of
the Wholesale/Retail Seafood Dealer License number. The commercial
sherman must sign each trip cket aesng that the informaon
provided is correct.
On or before the 10th of each month, Wholesale/Retail Dealers and Fresh
Products License holders must submit to LDWF all trip ckets from the
previous month. Dealers must also include a signed Monthly Submission
Sheet cerfying that the submied trip ckets represent all of the dealer’s
transacons with commercial shermen/reple and amphibian collectors
for that month. For more details, go to www.wlf.la.gov/page/trip-ckets,
call 225.765.2449 or email tripckets@wlf.la.gov.
Enforcement Requirements
Dealers, Fresh Products License holders, retailers, restaurants and grocers
must keep records of the following and make them available for inspecon
by LDWF:
• Quanty and species of seafood products, bait, reples or amphibians
purchased, date of purchase and full name and license and/or
permit number of the commercial sherman/reple and amphibian
collector, wholesale/retail dealer or out-of-state seller from whom
they purchase the seafood products, bait, reples or amphibians
• Quanty and species of seafood products, bait, reples or amphibians
sold, date of sale and name and license number of the buyer
• If selling to consumers, quanty and species of seafood products,
bait, reples or amphibians sold, the date of sale and a statement
that they were sold to consumers
If a commercial sherman must have a special permit to harvest a species,
records must indicate the commercial sherman’s permit number. If creel
limits apply to a species, records must indicate the number by head count
of such species.
Dealers with federal permits must report landings electronically through
approved reporng methods every week. Go to www.sefsc.noaa.gov/
sheries/dealers.htm for more informaon.
Additional Information
LDWF requires that records of seafood purchases and sales must be kept for three years, in English. When seafood is bought, you must record the
quanty and species, the date purchased, and the name and license number of the sherman or dealer from whom the purchase was made. Similarly,
when seafood is sold, you must keep a record showing the quanty and species, the date, and the name and license number of the person to whom the
seafood was sold (or that it was sold to a ‘consumer’).
If selling seafood by weight you must have a legal-for-trade scale, which must be inspected and cered annually (cost is $35 up to 1,000 lbs).
8
MEASURING FISH
• Total Length - Measure in a straight line from the p of the snout to the extreme p of the tail n. Squeeze OR rotate the tail so you can determine
the maximum length of the sh (Figure 1 and Figure 2).
• Fork Length - Measure in a straight line from the p of the snout to the fork of the tail (Figure 3).
• Curved Fork Length - Measure tracing the contour of the body from the p of the upper jaw to the fork of the tail (Figure 4).
• Carcass Length - Measure the curve from rear edge of gill opening to the front edge of the caudal keel (the ridge found just before the tail n)
(Figure 4).
• Lower Jaw Fork Length - Measure from the p of the lower jaw to the midline of caudal n. This measurement is used for billsh such as
swordsh (Figure 5).
Fish illustrations by Duane Raver.
Fork Length
Caudal Keel
Carcass Length
Gill Opening
Upper Jaw
Curved Fork Length
Lower Jaw Fork Length
Squeezed tail.
Total Length
Figure 1: Squeezing
Rotated tail.
Total Length
Figure 2: Rotating
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5
9
SHRIMP
Contact: Peyton Cagle, 337.491.2575, pcagle@wlf.la.gov
If you: You must have a/an: Fees and notes:
Harvest shrimp in federal
waters
Federal shrimp permit issued
by NOAA Fisheries
There is a moratorium on these permits; you may only apply for one if an original
permit is transferred to you. View the current list of transferable permits at go.usa.
gov/3FcW5. Contact NOAA Fisheries at 877.376.4877 for more informaon.
Commercially harvest
shrimp for live bait
Special Bait Dealer Permit $110 (see page 10 for addional details)
Use or possess shrimp
trawls, buery nets,
skimmer nets or cast nets
Commercial Gear License for
each piece of gear
$25 resident, $100 nonresident. You must have a license for each piece of gear. You
must also pay an annual gear fee ($10 resident, $40 nonresident).
Additional Licenses & Permits
In addion to the applicable licenses and permits listed on pages 3-6, you must have the following permits to parcipate in the following acvies.
Harvest Areas
Louisiana’s state waters are divided into inside and outside waters. The
“inside/outside line” separates these waters. It generally follows the
coastline from the Louisiana/Texas state line to the Louisiana/Mississippi
state line. Waters landward of the inside/outside line are inside or inshore
waters; waters seaward of the inside/outside line out to three naucal
miles are outside waters or the territorial sea. Inside waters are further
Seasons
You may only harvest shrimp during open shrimp seasons (unless you
are permied to harvest live bait under a Special Bait Dealer Permit).
The Commission sets shrimp seasons for Louisiana’s state waters by
area according to scienc informaon about environmental and water
condions and the growth rates, distribuon and abundance of shrimp.
They also consider input from the industry and other stakeholders. In
general, shrimp seasons by area are:
• Inside: Open when enough market-sized shrimp are available in
these waters for harvest. The spring/brown shrimp season generally
runs May to July. The fall/white shrimp season is generally open mid-
August to mid-December; some waters stay open into January.
Size/Possession Limits
There is no size limit for any shrimp harvested during the spring open season nor for brown or seabob shrimp harvested during any open season.
White shrimp is legal size when a pound of white shrimp equals 100 whole shrimp or less. You may not harvest sub-legal white shrimp, except from Oct.
15 through the third Monday in December. Also, when more than half of your catch is seabob or brown shrimp, no more than 10% (by weight) of your
catch may be sub-legal size white shrimp.
Legal Gear
You may only use trawls, buery nets, skimmer nets and cast nets to harvest shrimp during open seasons in Louisiana’s waters.
divided by major estuarine basin. The Commission may amend the shrimp
line due to environmental changes. See the latest coordinates and maps
at www.wlf.louisiana.gov/amended_shrimp_line.
The Louisiana Legislature, the Commission and LDWF are responsible for
managing the shrimp shery in inshore waters and the territorial sea. The
Gulf Council and NOAA Fisheries are responsible for federal waters.
• Outside: Year-round, except from December or January to March or
May in certain areas to protect small white shrimp and allow them to
grow to market size. Through the authority given by the Commission,
the Secretary can close these waters at other mes of the year if
necessary.
• Year-round.
Go to www.wlf.la.gov/shing/shrimp-seasons for the most up to date
informaon on Louisiana’s shrimp seasons.
Bycatch Reduction Requirements
When shing in federal waters, shrimp trawlers must install bycatch reducon devices (BRDs) in each trawl to reduce catch of non-targeted species. Go
to go.usa.gov/xKJ7k for more informaon. Email Susan.[email protected] or call 727.824.5305 with any BRD-related quesons.
Restricted & Closed Areas
Some areas, including wildlife refuges, wildlife management areas (WMAs) and habitat conservaon areas, may be closed to certain gear types, methods
and/or mes of day and may have dierent possession limits. Some are closed to shrimping altogether. These restricons and closures help protect
developing shrimp populaons and reduce conicts among users. See www.wlf.la.gov/subhome/commercial-shrimp for details.
10
Shrimper/Crab Trap Interactions
If you catch an unserviceable crab trap, you must keep it on your vessel and properly dispose of it onshore. If you catch a serviceable crab trap without a
oat, return it to the water with a common oat (a white, plasc, one-gallon or larger bleach bole).
Shrimp Excise Tax
Live Bait Shrimp
To commercially harvest shrimp for live bait, you must have a Special Bait
Dealer Permit, which allows you to harvest shrimp for bait at any me. The
requirements for this permit include:
• A permit applicaon and fee.
• $1,000 cash bond, which must be forfeited if anyone associated with
the permit violates any of the permit requirements or any commercial
shing laws and regulaons.
• Background check for previous wildlife or sheries violaons.
• Inspecon of live bait holding facilies (onshore and on vessel).
• Proper signage on the vessel idenfying that the vessel is working
under the bait permit.
• Public noce that live bait is available.
• Use of an approved, fully operaonal vessel monitoring system (VMS)
onboard the vessel if harvesng bait shrimp at night.
• Recordkeeping and reporng.
You may only use the following gear under this permit:
• One trawl no more than 25 feet along the cork line and 33 feet along
the lead line.
• Two skimmer nets with individual nets no more than 16 feet measured
horizontally, 12 feet measured vercally or 20 feet measure diagonally.
• Trawl and skimmer vessels operang under a special bait dealer’s permit
must adhere to a tow me not exceeding 15 minutes. Tow mes are
measured from the me the codend enters the water unl it is completely
removed from the water. The net must be completely emped of catch
on the deck aer the codend is removed from the water.
• In May 2021, the Wildlife and Fisheries Commission adopted a Noce
of Intent that would increase the size of allowable gear used under
a Special Bait Dealer Permit. Once promulgated in the fall of 2021,
shermen operang under a Special Bait Dealer Permit may ulize the
following gear through Dec. 31, 2023:
• One trawl measuring 50 feet long and less along the cork line and 66 feet
long or less along the lead line. Mesh size must be at least 5/8-inch bar
or 1.25 inches stretched and 3/4-inch bar or 1.5 inches stretched during
the fall inshore shrimp season from the western shore of Vermilion Bay
and Southwest Pass at Marsh Island to the Atchafalaya River.
• Double skimmer nets may have an opening circumference of no
more than 72 feet for each net and a maximum lead line length of 33
Turtle Excluder Devices
feet. Skimmer nets may be mounted to the horizontal net frame at
any distance from the gunwale of the vessel as long as the mounng
distance and horizontal length of the net frame does not exceed 20 feet
from the gunwale. Mesh size must be at least 5/8-inch bar or 1.25 inches
stretched and 3/4-inch bar or 1.5 inches stretched during the fall inshore
shrimp season from the western shore of Vermilion Bay and Southwest
Pass at Marsh Island to the Atchafalaya River
The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission (LWFC) approved a Noce
of Intent amending the Special Bait Dealer’s Permit regulaons on June 3,
2021. If this rule is approved by the Legislave Oversight Commiees, the
following regulaon changes will become eecve on Nov. 20, 2021 and
revert to the current regulaons aer a two-year study period, or on Dec.
31, 2023. Aer the study period, the LWFC will determine if there will be
permanent changes to the Special Bait Dealer’s Permit.
• Trawl and skimmer vessels operang under a special bait dealer’s
permit must adhere to a tow me, not exceeding, 15 minutes. Tow
mes are measured from the me the codend enters the water unl
it is completely removed from the water. The net must be completely
emped of catch on the deck aer the codend is removed from the
water.
• Permied gear under the special bait dealer’s permit may include:
- One trawl measuring 50 feet long and less along the cork line and
66 feet long or less along the lead line. Mesh size must be at least
5/8-inch bar or 1.25 inches stretched and 3/4-inch bar or 1.5 inches
stretched during the fall inshore shrimp season from the western
shore of Vermilion Bay and Southwest Pass at Marsh Island to the
Atchafalaya River.
- Double skimmer nets may have an opening circumference of no
more than 72 feet for each net and a maximum lead line length of 33
feet. Skimmer nets may be mounted to the horizontal net frame at
any distance from the gunwale of the vessel as long as the mounng
distance and horizontal length of the net frame does not exceed 20
feet from the gunwale. Mesh size must be at least 5/8-inch bar or
1.25 inches stretched and 3/4-inch bar or 1.5 inches stretched during
the fall inshore shrimp season from the western shore of Vermilion
Bay and Southwest Pass at Marsh Island to the Atchafalaya River.
For more informaon, visit www.wlf.la.gov/page/buyer-dealer-retailer-
processor-and-transporter-licenses-and-permits.
State and federal law require all shrimpers shing with powered or
mechanically-retrieved oer trawls (except test nets with headrope
lengths of 12 feet or less) to equip them with turtle excluder devices
(TEDs), which allow incidentally captured turtles to escape the nets.
In lieu of TEDs, shrimpers shing with no power or mechanized retrieval
system, some bait shrimpers, and test trawls must limit their tow mes to
75 minutes from Nov. 1 - March 31 and 55 minutes from April 1 - Oct. 31
to reduce potenal impacts on sea turtles. A tow me is measured from
the me that the trawl door enters the water unl it is removed from the
water. For a trawl that is not aached to a door, the tow me begins at
the me the cod end enters the water and ends at the me the cod end is
emped of catch on deck.
Regulaon (84 FR 70063) adopted in December 2019 requires a pusher-
head trawl or a wing net, or has a skimmer trawl on a vessel equal to or
greater than 40 feet (12.2 m) in length as indicated on the vessel’s state
vessel registraon or U.S. Coast Guard vessel documentaon to use TEDs
by Feb. 1, 2022. TEDs are required to be installed in skimmer trawls, where
the space between deector bars and the deector bars and the TED
frame must not exceed 3 inches (7.6 cm).
NOTE: Due to current ligaon, federal TED requirements in a pusherhead
trawl or a wing net, or a skimmer trawl on a vessel equal to or greater
than 40 feet (12.2 m) in length as indicated on the vessel’s state vessel
registraon or U.S. Coast Guard vessel documentaon to use TEDs have
been temporarily delayed through Feb. 1, 2022.
For a pusher-head trawl or a wing net, or has a skimmer trawl on a vessel
less than 40 feet (12.2 m) in length, the tow me restricon was revised
to mandate that the tow me begins when the cod end enters the water
and ends at the me the cod end is emped on the deck. Addional
regulaons are currently being considered by NOAA, which would require
TEDs in a pusher-head trawl or a wing net, or skimmer trawls on a vessel
less than 40 feet in length.
Go to go.usa.gov/xKJ74 for the latest TED regulaons and guidelines
727.551.5794 with any TED-related quesons.
11
Example of Legal and Illegal Skimmer Net Frames
Gear Requirements
TRAWLS
Mesh
Must be at least 5/8-inch bar or 1.25 inches stretched mesh. Must be at least 3/4-inch bar or 1.5 inches stretched mesh during the fall
inshore shrimp season from the western shore of Vermilion Bay and Southwest Pass at Marsh Island to the Atchafalaya River.
Size and
Number
• Inside Waters: Regulaons permit one trawl measuring 50 feet long or less along the cork line and 66 feet long or less along the lead
line; two trawls not exceeding 25 feet each along the cork line and 33 feet along the lead line, with trawl doors no more than 8 feet long
and 43 inches high; OR two trawls not exceeding 25 feet each along the cork line and 33 feet along the lead line, with no more than two
outer trawl doors no larger than 8 feet long and 43 inches high and no more than two inner sled doors. Each vessel may also pull a test
trawl.*
• Outside Waters: A vessel’s nets may not exceed a total of 130 feet of cork line and 165 feet of lead line, in addion to one test trawl.*
• Breton and Chandeleur Sounds: Regulaons permit two trawls, each measuring no more than 65 feet long along the cork line and no
more than 82 feet long along the lead line, plus one test trawl.*
• Federal Waters: Up to four trawls of any size plus one test trawl.
*A test trawl is no more than 16 feet long along the cork line or 20 feet long along the lead line.
BUTTERFLY AND SKIMMER NETS
Mesh
Must be at least 5/8-inch bar or 1.25 inches stretched mesh. Must be at least 3/4-inch bar or 1.5 inches stretched mesh during the fall
inshore shrimp season from the western shore of Vermilion Bay and Southwest Pass at Marsh Island to the Atchafalaya River.
Size and
Number
• A single staonary buery net may measure no more than 22 feet vercally or horizontally.
• Individual nets of double buery nets may measure no more than 12 feet vercally or horizontally, unless used on a vessel, in which
case they may measure no more than 12 feet vercally by 16 feet horizontally.
• Double skimmer nets may have an opening circumference of no more than 72 feet for each net and a maximum lead line length of 33
feet.
Other
• Buery nets may be mounted no more than 24 inches from the side of the vessel.
• Skimmer nets may be mounted to the horizontal net frame at any distance from the gunwale of the vessel as long as the mounng
distance and horizontal length of the net frame does not exceed 20 feet from the gunwale.
• You may not e individual nets together.
• No sweeper devices, leads, extensions, wings or other aachments.
• You must mark buery nets with a tag lisng your name, address and net license number when using them in East and West Passes
of the Calcasieu River, Grand Bayou and in Oyster Bayou (all within Cameron Parish only); if found unmarked, these nets will be seized
by LDWF agents or other authorized employees. This tag must be aached to the net, frame or any other part directly aached to the
net or frame and must be visible above the water at all mes. Leers must be at least 3 inches high and of appropriate width to make
it visible and readable.
12
Size Limits
Any commercial sherman idened as having sold undersized crabs
to a wholesale/retail dealer will be subject to penales for taking and
possessing undersized crabs.
Hard Shell Crabs: You may only harvest crabs 5 inches carapace width or
wider. Since at least half of the crab populaon has sexually matured at
this size, this minimum size limit helps ensure crabs are able to reproduce
and replace those that are harvested. You must immediately return crabs
smaller than 5 inches wide back to the water without injury.
Immature Female Crabs: The commercial harvest of immature female
blue crab is banned, except when an immature female is in the pre-
molt stage and is being held for processing as so shell crab or sold to a
processor for making so shell crab.
Seasons
The Louisiana Legislature, the Commission and LDWF are responsible for
managing the blue crab shery in inshore waters and the territorial sea.
The Commission has the authority to prohibit the use of crab traps or
the take of blue crab if biological data indicate that the blue crab stock
is overshed or experiencing overshing, or if the blue crab stock or
shing mortality is below the precauonary benchmarks set in the stock
assessment for three consecuve years.
Pre-molt Crabs*: You may harvest pre-molt crabs smaller than 5 inches
carapace width under the following condions:
• You are holding them for processing as so shell crabs OR
• You are selling them to a processor for making so shell crabs, have
properly idened them as pre-molt crabs and are holding them in a
separate container marked “peelers” or “busters.”
*Pre-molt crabs are crabs showing signs of molng; the rst sign is a white
line on the back paddle n.
Stone Crabs: You may only harvest stone crab claws. The claws must
measure at least 2.75 inches from the p of the claw to the base of the
joint. You may only transfer legal size stone crab claws from a vessel to the
shore. You may keep whole stone crabs on a vessel unl you have removed
their claws; then you must immediately return the crabs to the waters
where you harvested them.
Tagging Requirements
You must tag, mark or otherwise idenfy any crabs you sell with your name, license number and the date you harvested the crabs.
Possession Limits
Egg-bearing Crabs: You may not harvest any female crabs in the berry
stage (when they are carrying eggs or young aached to the abdomen).
You must immediately return all crabs in the berry stage to the water
without injury to protect this next generaon of crabs. However, a legally
licensed commercial sherman may have,
only, an incidental take of not more than 2% total crabs in the berry stage.
Immature Female Crabs: No more than 5% of a random sample of 50
crabs from each crate (or group of crabs equivalent to one crate) in your
possession may be incidentally harvested immature female crabs.
Undersized Crabs: No more than 10% of a random sample of 50 crabs from
each crate (or group of crabs equivalent to one crate) in your possession
may be incidentally harvested undersized crabs.
Whole Stone Crabs: You may only harvest stone crab claws; you may
possess one incidentally harvested whole stone crab per crate of blue
crabs (or group of blue crabs equivalent to one crate).
Bycatch Limits
You may retain for personal consumpon up to 25 nsh in aggregate caught as bycatch in crab traps per vessel per day. However, you may not keep any
freshwater gamesh, red drum or spoed seatrout. Any sh you keep are sll subject to recreaonal size and possession limits.
If you have a gear license which allows you to take nsh for commercial purposes, you may keep any nsh you catch under this license, up to the
commercial possession limit for that sh. You do not have to separate this catch from the bycatch described above.
The Commission may also prohibit the use of crab traps in certain areas
for short periods of me to remove lost or abandoned traps through the
Derelict Crab Trap Removal Program. Visit www.wlf.la.gov/shing/derelict-
crab-trap-removal for the latest informaon.
Legal Gear
You may only use the following gear to harvest crabs in Louisiana waters:
• Crab traps
• Crab drop nets
• Trawl, skimmer and buery nets*
• Trotlines, handlines and bushlines
• Dip and cast nets
*You may only use trawls and buery and skimmer nets to harvest crabs
during open shrimp seasons and must abide by commercial shrimping
regulaons.
You may not use dredges to intenonally harvest crabs.
Commercial Gear License
In addion to the applicable licenses and permits listed on pages 3-6,
you must have the following Commercial Gear Licenses to use or possess
commercial shing gear:
• Any legal number of crab traps*: $50 resident, $200 nonresident
• Each buery, skimmer or trawl net: $25 resident, $100 nonresident,
plus an annual gear fee ($10 resident, $40 nonresident)
• Other Saltwater Gear license is required when harvesng crab with
drop nets, trotlines, handlines, bushlines, dip nets, and cast nets:
$37.50 resident, $150 nonresident
*Any commercial sherman applying for a Commercial Crab Trap Gear
License must have either (1) possessed a valid Commercial Crab Trap Gear
License in any two of the following years: 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014;
or (2) possessed a valid Wholesale/Retail Seafood Dealer License and can
demonstrate crab landings through trip cket submissions during any two
years between 2011 and 2014. Otherwise, they must rst enroll in and
complete a crab industry professionalism program. See www.wlf.la.gov/
crabtraining for details.
CRAB
Contact: Peyton Cagle, 337.491.2575, pcagle@wlf.la.gov
13
Crab Trap Requirements
Night
You may not bait, tend, check or remove crab traps, their contents, lines, buoys or markers in public waters from 1/2-hour aer
legal sunset unl 1/2-hour before legal sunrise.
Trap Placement You must place your traps so vessels can safely navigate waters. Do not set them in navigable channels or entrances to streams.
Unserviceable
Traps
• You must properly dispose of unserviceable crab traps back at the dock to reduce the risk and potenal impact of derelict traps.
• If you retrieve a trap with a Commission-approved common oat, you must return that oat to any shrimper for reuse.
Damage to or
Traps
Unless you are the crab trap licenseholder (or his agent), you may not intenonally damage or destroy a crab trap, aached oats
or lines or its contents.
Trap
You must mark your traps with a plasc bait box cover or a 2-inch stainless steel, self-locking tag aached to the center of the
trap ceiling to idenfy the owner of the trap. Either one must be legibly engraved or embossed with your Commercial Fisherman
License number.
Floats and Float
Lines
• You must mark all crab traps with a solid oat, 6 inches in diameter or larger, aached with a non-oang line, 1/4 inches in
diameter or larger. You do not have to mark traps with a oat and line in areas designated as freshwater north of the northern
bank of the Intracoastal Waterway and west of LA Highway 70 and those areas located on the eastern side of the Mississippi
River and inland from the saltwater line, unless you’re placing the trap in a lake.
• You may aach crab traps to a trotline aached to a non-oang line and a visible oat measuring at least 6 inches in diameter
or 1/2 gallon in volume. You must register each trap on a trotline with LDWF and tag it with your Commercial Fisherman License
number.
Escape Rings
• Each crab trap shall have a minimum of three escape rings. All escape rings shall be placed on the vercal, outside walls. A
minimum of two escape rings shall be located in the upper chamber ush with the bae. A minimum of one escape ring shall
be located in the lower chamber no greater than one mesh length from the trap oor. As of July 1, 2022, all escape rings shall
be located no greater than one mesh length from the corners. The minimum sizes of the rings shall be 2-3/8 inches in inside
diameter, not including the ring material. The rings shall be rigid and aached to the trap with material of an equal or smaller
diameter than the wire strands of the trap. However, escape rings are not required on any crab trap constructed of wire mesh
2-5/16 inches square or greater.
• Except from April 1 - June 30 and from Sept. 1 - Oct. 31, escape ring openings shall not be obstructed with any material that
prevents or hampers exit of crabs.
Metal Tackle
and Traps
You may not use metal tackle or metal crab traps in any of the public waters north of the Intracoastal Waterway in the Calcasieu
River, in any body of water of the Calcasieu River System north of the Intracoastal Canal, or in Vermilion Bay from Cypremort Point
one mile oshore to Blue Point.
Closed Area You may not use crab traps in the Tchefuncte River.
Derelict Crab Traps
Derelict crab traps are traps that have been discarded, lost or abandoned.
Derelict crab traps can “ghost sh” and connue to capture blue crabs and
other species. They can also create a navigaonal hazard for boats and
become entangled in other shing gear such as shrimp nets.
Funded in part by the sale of Louisiana crab shing licenses, a volunteer-
based Derelict Crab Trap Removal Program was iniated in 2004 to
remove derelict crab traps and reduce their potenal impacts. Every year,
the Commission prohibits the use of crab traps in certain areas for short
WMAs & Refuges
Commercial shing is permied in:
• Atchafalaya Delta WMA, except in the Limited Access Areas from
September to January each year.
• Pass-a-Loutre WMA, except in the Limited Access Areas from
September to January each year.
periods of me to remove lost or abandoned traps through this program.
Any crab trap found in these areas of the state when the Commission has
prohibited their use shall be considered abandoned and may be removed
by persons authorized by the Commission. Since the program began,
volunteers have helped remove more than 50,000 traps. The program also
collects data on the number and types of animals found in recovered traps.
Go to www.wlf.la.gov/shing/derelict-crab-trap-removal for informaon
on current crab trap removal closures.
Additional Dealer Requirements
If you: You must have a/an: Fees and notes:
Are a licensed wholesale/retail seafood dealer
exporng (or aempng to export) any crabs or
crabmeat outside of Louisiana
Wholesale Out-of-
State Crab Shipping
License
$170 for residents and nonresidents. This license includes retailers.
Own or operate a so shell crab shedding facility
Wholesale/Retail
Seafood Dealer
License
$400 resident, $1,652.50 nonresident. On or before the 10th of every
month, you must report to LDWF how much so shell crab you produce.
Go to www.wlf.la.gov/shing/trip-cket or call 225.765.2399 for more
details.
Commercial shing is prohibited in:
• Elmer’s Island
• Isle Dernieres Barrier Islands Refuge
• Rockefeller, State Wildlife and Marsh Island Refuges
• Salvador/Timken WMA
• Pointe-aux-Chenes WMA (Except commercial shing on Pointe-aux-
Chenes WMA is allowed in Cuto Canal). All nighme acvies
prohibited.
14
OYSTER
Contact: Carolina Bourque (general oyster information), 337.735.8726, cbour[email protected]v or
Marc Maniscalco (Oyster Lease Program), 504.284.5277, mmaniscalco@wlf.la.gov
Additional Licenses & Permits
If you: You must have a/an: Fees and notes:
Are the captain of commercial vessel
harvesng or possessing oysters
Oyster Harvester License
$100 resident, $400 nonresident; see Mandatory Oyster
Harvester License Training Requirements below.
Are in charge of an oyster cargo vessel Oyster Cargo Vessel Permit
$250 resident, $1,105 nonresident; permit holders must
have a vessel monitoring system (VMS) acceptable to
LDWF’s Law Enforcement Division.
Harvest oysters from Calcasieu Lake Calcasieu Lake Oyster Harvester Permit No fee
Take and carry oysters from public
oyster seed grounds and/or
reservaons (not including those in
Calcasieu Lake)
• Public Oyster Seed Ground Vessel Permit
• Public Oyster Seed Ground Gear License
$50 resident, $200 nonresident; Public Oyster Seed Ground
Vessel Permit: issued in the name of the vessel owner;
idenes the permied vessel; cannot be sold, exchanged,
or transferred to another account. LDWF is currently
prohibited by law from accepng applicaons for new
permits but will be accepng them once a professionalism
program is developed. $200 resident, $800 nonresident;
Public Oyster Seed Ground Gear license: allows for harvest
of oysters from public seed grounds using a single scraper,
tongs or by hand; a second scraper can be used but requires
an addional gear license; a maximum of 2 scrapers per
vessel. No oyster harvest allowed in Sabine Lake.
Harvest oysters from a private lease
in Louisiana and land them outside of
Louisiana
Out-of-State Oyster Landing Permit
$100 resident and nonresident; permit is valid for one
calendar year; apply in person at LDWF; permit holders must
have a VMS acceptable to LDWF’s Law Enforcement Division.
Grow oysters in cages, on- or o-
boom, on permied state-owned or
private water booms for commercial
harvest
• Alternave Oyster Culture (AOC) Permit
• Oyster Harvester License
• Commercial Fisherman License
Applicaon fee is $100; permits are granted for a 10-year
period. You must be 18 years old and a Louisiana resident
(or a corporaon organized in Louisiana). You must also have
a Coastal Use Permit (CUP) from the Louisiana Department
of Natural Resources (DNR) as well as a Secon 10 and/
or Secon 9 Obstrucon to Navigaon Permit and Secon
404 Fill Permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. See
Alternave Oyster Culture Guidelines.
Import live viable oysters, regardless
of life stage and ploidy, and intend to
place those oysters or their progeny,
regardless if they are contained or
released, in Louisiana waters
Oyster Importaon Permit
No fee. Only oysters from the northern Gulf of Mexico will
be considered for perming. Applicaons are considered
on a case-by-case basis. A copy of the permit, importaon
protocol, and Oyster Health Cercate must remain with
the oysters during transport events into Louisiana. The
permiee must nofy LDWF at least 48 hours in advance of
each importaon event.
Use or possess oyster scrapers
(dredges) or tongs
Commercial Gear License for each piece of gear
• Each scraper: $37.50 resident, $300 nonresident
• Each tong: $40 resident, $320 nonresident
Are a restaurant or grocer selling raw
oysters
Wholesale/Retail Seafood Dealer License $400 resident, $1,652.50 nonresident
Buy oysters in Louisiana from
commercial shermen/harvesters for
sale or resale
LDH Shellstock Dealer or Shucker-Packer
Permit (plus a Wholesale/Retail Seafood Dealer
License; see pages 3-6). Trip ckets required
(see page 7)
LDH permit fees range from $100 to $500, depending on
gross annual sales. Contact an LDH oce or inspector to
obtain a permit:
• Jennifer Armentor: 225.342.7653
• Chris Lemaire: 225.342.7540
Oyster dealers must have and implement a wrien Hazard
Analysis Crical Control Point (HACCP) plan.
Shuck oysters to sell to another dealer
for resale
LDH Shucker-Packer Permit (plus a Wholesale/
Retail Seafood Dealer License; see pages 3-6)
Buy oysters from commercial
shermen/harvesters to ship or reship
them
LDH Shellstock Shipper or Reshipper Permit
(plus a Wholesale/Retail Seafood Dealer
License; see pages 3-6). Trip ckets required
(see page 7)
Buy oysters only from wholesale/retail
dealers
LDH Distribuon and Reshipping Permit (plus a
Wholesale/Retail Seafood Dealer License; see
pages 3-6).
Are a seafood retailer shucking
oysters for sale to the public
LDH Retail Permit (plus a Wholesale/Retail
Seafood Dealer License; see pages 3-6).
In addion to the applicable licenses and permits listed on pages 3-6, you must have the following permits to parcipate in the following acvies.
15
Contact: Carolina Bourque (general oyster information), 337.735.8726, cbour[email protected]v or
Marc Maniscalco (Oyster Lease Program), 504.284.5277, mmaniscalco@wlf.la.gov
Oyster Harvester License Training Requirements
ALL oyster harvesters must complete an online oyster harvester educaon course BEFORE applying for their license. Harvesters must take this
training every three years.
Go to www.wlf.la.gov/mandatory-oyster-harvester-training and click “Oyster Harvest Training.” Enter your rst name, last name, email (oponal),
the last four digits of your social security number and your Commercial Fisherman License number. Watch the video and answer a minimum of
80% of the quesons correctly to pass. The training takes about 1 hour. A cercate of compleon will be sent to your email and recorded with
LDWF. It takes 24 to 48 hours for the system to update, so be sure to nish the video at least three days before you apply for a license. If you don’t
have a computer with internet connecon at home, try your local public library.
Seasons & Times
Public Areas: Generally open from the rst Wednesday aer Labor Day in September for seed oysters and the second Monday in October for market
oysters through April 30 of the following year. The Commission may open and close the season when biological data indicate a need. Go to www.wlf.
la.gov/shing/oyster-season for the latest informaon.
A lessee or his agent may sh oysters on the lease at any me unless it is closed by LDH.
All Areas: No harvest from 1/2-hour aer sunset to 1/2-hour before sunrise.
Closed Areas
LDH may close oyster areas for public health reasons. Call 800.256.2775 or 225.342.7653 for more informaon. If LDWF nds a vessel harvesng oysters
within an unapproved or closed area, LDWF will deem all oysters on board the vessel to have been taken from that area, seize the oysters and return them
to the water. LDWF may also revoke the oyster harvester’s license(s). Go to ldh.la.gov/index.cfm/page/629 for more informaon.
Size & Possession Limits
Public areas: Oysters harvested for market must measure 3 inches or
larger from hinge to mouth. All undersized oysters and any shell and/or
cultch material shall be immediately returned to the waters from which
they were taken. Sacks of market oysters from public oyster areas may
contain no more than 15% undersized oysters and shell and/or cultch.
Size limit does not apply if a sherman is lawfully removing seed oysters
from public grounds. The harvest of seed oysters from a public ground or
reservaon shall be for the purpose of moving the live oyster resource.
The removal of more than 15% of non-living reef material in bedding loads
Gear Restrictions
Public areas: You may harvest oysters with scrapers, tongs, and by hand.
Scrapers may be no wider than 54 inches measured along the tooth bar
and weigh no more than 175 pounds. Scraper teeth may be no longer
than 5 inches and must be spaced at least 2.25 inches, measured from the
center of a tooth to center of the adjacent tooth. A tooth may be no larger
than 11/16 inches in diameter. The scraper bag must be single mesh with
a minimum mesh size of 3 inches stretched. Vessels may not use more
than two scrapers at one me. Vessels may not use any scraper aachment
intended to increase downward pressure. Oyster tongs shall be made as
a grasping device consisng of two pieces joined by a pivot or hinged like
scissors used for picking up objects.
A lessee or his
agent may use any gear as long as it does not impair or destroy the water
boom.
Calcasieu Lake: You may harvest oysters by hand or hand tongs only.
Scrapers are prohibited. Commercial vessels must be self-propelled
(travelling under their own power).
Sabine Lake: No oyster harvest allowed.
Unlawful Removal of Oysters or Signs
You may not take, carry away or aempt to take or carry away any oysters, shell or cultch from a leased area without the lessee’s permission. You may
not remove or alter any stake, monument, bounds, buoy, sign or other designaon of bedding or propagang grounds placed by LDWF or in accordance
with regulaons.
Cleanliness of Shellsh Vessels
You must wash decks, holds or binds used for storing shellsh daily. Unless exempted in wring by LDH, you must have a suspended awning (tarp) on
your vessel to protect shellsh from direct exposure to sun, birds and other condions. It must be between 1 and 7 feet high and extend to the outer
edges of the vessel.
is prohibited. All vessels shall allow on-board inspecon and sampling of
seed oyster loads by LDWF biologists and/or agents. You may harvest no
more than the sack limit set by the Commission.
: No size or
possession limit.
Calcasieu Lake: You may harvest no more than the sack limit set by the
Commission. Call LDH line at 800.256.2775 for condional status.
Go to www.wlf.la.gov/shing/commercial-oyster for the latest informaon.
16
Oyster Harvest Tags
If you take oysters from Louisiana state waters for sale, you must idenfy
sacks and other packing containers used to hold in-shell oysters with
ocial oyster harvest tags purchased from LDWF. The color of the tag
depends on the intended use of the oysters (white for raw consumpon
in and outside of Louisiana, pink for raw consumpon only in Louisiana or
green for shucking or post-harvest processing). Tags are idened with
and traceable to your license (see page 17 for more informaon).
You must complete all informaon on the tag, including:
• Dealer’s name, address, cercaon number assigned by LDH and
the original oyster shipper’s number, if dierent.
• Harvester’s idencaon number assigned by LDWF.
• Date and area of harvest.
• Type and quanty of oysters.
If you sack or package oysters on your vessel, you must tag them prior to
removing them from the vessel. If you sack or package oysters at the dock,
you must tag them immediately upon arriving at the dock prior to shipping
them. If you harvest from more than one area on a given day, you must
sack or package and tag the oysters from one area before moving on to
the next.
Dealers must keep oyster harvest tags axed to each container of in-shell
oysters unl the container is shipped or emped for washing, grading or
packing. Dealers must retain all tags for at least 90 days.
It is illegal to possess untagged sacks or containers of oysters (other than on
board the vessel or at the dock prior to shipment) - untagged or improperly
tagged sacks or containers will be considered to have been taken from polluted
waters, deemed a health hazard and seized and destroyed. You may not sell for
resale untagged sacks or containers of oysters.
General Refrigeration Requirements
You must place all harvested in-shell oysters under mechanical refrigeraon
at an air temperature of 45
o
F or less (measured 12 inches from the
blower). Oysters must be refrigerated within two hours of being ooaded
from the harvest vessel onto the dock. Total harvest to refrigeraon me
must not exceed the me/temperature requirements specied on page
17. If you ooad oysters from the harvest vessel to an oyster cargo vessel,
oysters must be refrigerated within the mes specied on page 17.
In-shell oysters must be maintained at or below 45
o
F throughout all levels
of commerce. You must meet addional refrigeraon requirements (see
page 17), depending on the oysters’ intended use (raw consumpon,
processing, etc.).
Any oysters that do not meet refrigeraon requirements may not be used
for raw consumpon; only cered dealers may use them for shucking or
post-harvest processing.
Oysters should not be in standing water at any me.
Harvesting Oysters for Raw Consumption
If you harvest oysters for raw consumpon, you must have a HACCP plan.
Your me/temperature log sheet must document the me harvest began
for each lot of oysters and the me you refrigerated each lot. Log sheets
for pink tag oysters must be separated from log sheets for oysters intended
for shipment outside of Louisiana. Harvesters must note on log sheets for
pink tag oysters that the oysters are “For Intrastate Shipments Only.” If
your harvest vessel is equipped with refrigeraon capabilies, you must
provide documentaon to the original dealer that you have met the me
and temperature requirements.
You must aach an LDH- and LDWF-approved tag on all containers holding
in-shell oysters, with the corresponding lot idencaon number or
character printed legibly on the tag, prior to refrigerang them. You must
record the number of sacks contained within each lot immediately aer
refrigerang the oysters.
Alternative Oyster Culture (AOC) Guidelines
Alternave Oyster Culture permit holders must place and maintain:
• Markers along the boundaries of the permit area, at intervals of 75
feet, between 3 and 12 feet above the water level.
• Markers along the boundaries of the areas where alternave oyster
culture facilies or equipment are actually located, at intervals of 20
feet, between 3 and 12 feet above the water level.
• Buoys conforming to U.S. Coast Guard markings at all corners of the
permit area and the areas where alternave oyster culture equipment
or facilies are actually located and midway between the corners if
separated by more than 1,000 feet.
In addion, a tag with the Alternave Oyster Culture permit number must
be permanently aached to each buoy, main cage, bag, oat or other
structure used for alternave oyster culture acvies.
Before Applying for an AOC Permit: Before applying for an Alternave
Oyster Culture Permit, you must rst obtain a Coastal Use Permit from
the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources. For more informaon,
call 800.267.4019 or visit LDNR’s website. Other permits, permissions, or
approvals that may be needed for your Alternave Oyster Culture Permit,
will generally be idened through the Coastal Use Permit process.
You should also conrm the availability of your leased area for perming,
as there are some restricons regarding areas for which Alternave
Oyster Culture Permits may be granted. View LDWF’s Oyster Map to
see which coastal areas are available for perming and contact Marc
Maniscalco with LDWF’s Oyster Lease Secon at mmaniscalco@wlf.la.gov,
504.284.5277, or in person - LDWF’s Oyster Lease Secon is open 8 a.m.
to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, at 2045 Lakeshore Drive, 4th oor,
New Orleans, LA.
Be sure to provide your name and lease number. LDWF will provide a
standard oyster lease plat showing the lease boundary and the areas
within the lease that are available for perming. Check our website for
more informaon: www.wlf.la.gov/page/alternave-oyster-culture.
Sewage Disposal on Shellsh Vessels
Vessels without an LDH-approved sewerage system must have waste receptacles with ght ng lids, labeled “FOR HUMAN WASTE ONLY” with leers
at least 1.5 inches tall and with a capacity of at least 2 gallons per person on the vessel. You must dispose of the contents of such receptacles through a
municipal sewer system, incineraon or burial in the ground.
17
Time/Temperature Log Sheet
Both the harvester and the rst cered dealer must complete me/
temperature log sheets to document compliance with refrigeraon
requirements. Harvesters and dealers must maintain the log sheets for
one year (two years for frozen oysters) and make them available for
inspecon by LDH, LDWF and the U.S. Food and Drug Administraon
(FDA). Harvesters must keep log sheets for the current and previous 15
days aboard their vessel. (Excepon: Time/temperature log sheets are not
required for harvest in the West Cove Condional Management Area or
the Lower Calcasieu Lake Condional Management Area, both located in
Cameron Parish.)
Before harvesng oysters, legibly document the
following:
• Your boat name/number
• Your name and harvester license number
• Harvest area/lease number
• Time harvesng begins
• Whether oysters will be bedded, shucked, relayed or other (explain)
• Your signature and date
Aer harvesng oysters and prior to leaving the harvest area, record the
me harvesng ended and the total number of sacks harvested. If you
declare sacks of oysters for shucking and half-shell, disnguish those
oysters from each other by placing the appropriate tag on the sack prior
to leaving the harvesng area.
Legibly document the following:
• Temperature of the cooler where oysters are being stored when they
begin to be ooaded from the harvesng vessel
• Time and temperature of the cooler when the last sack or container
of oysters is removed from the harvest vessel and placed in the cooler.
Make this entry immediately upon removal of the sack/container
from the vessel.
• Your signature and date
WHITE TAG OYSTERS
Harvested:
Must be refrigerated at 45
o
F or
less within:
Product temperature
must be:
Other requirements:
In December, January,
February
36 hours from the me harvest
began; please note that LDH is in
the process of promulgang new
rules that may require 20 hours
rather than 36 hours; see www.
wlf.la.gov/regulaons for the latest
informaon.
50
o
F or below within
10 hours of receipt by
the dealer and prior to
shipment
In March, April,
November
8 hours from the me harvest
began
50
o
F or below within
10 hours of receipt by
the dealer and prior to
shipment
You may not also possess oysters intended for shucking,
post-harvest processing, relay or bedding unl you
ooad all white tag oysters (unless you follow white tag
requirements for all oysters on board).
If oysters are removed from a vessel before they reach
55°F or below, the dealer must verify that the last lots of
oysters harvested and placed in mechanical refrigeraon
meet a temperature of 55°F or below in six hours. They
must document this on the same log sheet they received
from the harvester.
From May through
October
1 hour from the me harvest
began
55
o
F or below within
6 hours of refrigeraon
PINK TAG OYSTERS
Harvested:
Must be refrigerated at 45
o
F or
less within:
Other requirements:
Year-round
5 hours from the me harvest
began
You must call 800.442.2511 before leaving to harvest pink tag oysters (dial “0” for
dispatch).
Containers of shucked or frozen pink tag oysters must idenfy that the product
cannot be sold for use outside of Louisiana.
GREEN TAG
Harvested:
Must be refrigerated at 45
o
F or
less within:
Product temperature
must be:
Other requirements:
In December, January,
February
24 hours from the me harvest
began
You may not ship green
tag oysters unl internal
temperature is 50
o
F or
below, unless trip is under
4 hours or you ship them
with a me/temperature
monitoring device.
All in-shell oysters that have been refrigerated must
not be without mechanical refrigeraon for more than
two hours at points of processing or transfer such as at
loading docks.
You may not also possess white tag oysters unless you
follow white tag requirements for all oysters on board
(excepon: December, January and February).
From March through
May, October through
November
18 hours from the me harvest
began
From June through
September
12 hours from the me harvest
began
Additional Refrigeration Requirements
18
Landing Oysters
If you are harvesng oysters from Louisiana’s public reefs for sale or
consumpon, you must land them in Louisiana and tag them appropriately.
If you land oysters harvested from a private lease in Louisiana’s waters
outside the state (with applicable permit from LDWF), you must tag all
sacks or containers prior to leaving the state. You must install a VMS on
Oyster Severance Tax
Standard Measurements & Labeling
A barrel is equal to 6,451.26 cubic inches and is the equivalent of two
sacks/baskets or three bushels of unshucked oysters.
A sack (or basket) is exactly 3,225.63 cubic inches and is the equivalent of
1/2 barrel or 1.5 bushels of unshucked oysters.
A mini-sack is 1,075.21 cubic inches and is the equivalent of 1/3 of a sack
or 1/2 bushel of unshucked oysters.
LDAF ceres metal baskets to ensure accurate measurement. Contact
LDAF’s Weights and Measures Division at 225.925.3780. LDAF and
LDWF agents have the authority to inspect baskets to ensure volumetric
measurements are accurate.
All licensed oyster captains, harvesters or cered wholesale/retail dealers
of in-shell and shucked oyster products shall verify that the oysters being
sold adhere to these measurement standards. The quanty of oysters for
sale must be accurately labeled by volume, weight or count (e.g. 1 sack,
35 pounds or 120 count) in the ‘Quanty’ eld on the harvest tag. Sacks
and barrels must contain correct measurements when they are delivered
to the buyer.
Oyster landings must be reported on trip ckets in either whole sacks,
bushels, barrels or pounds. You must convert any other size sack into one
of these measurements.
You may sell in-shell oysters by volume, weight (including the weight of
the shell) or count. All oysters must be market size and wholesome.
You may only sell half-shell
oysters by weight (excluding
shell weight) or count.
You may only sell shucked
oysters by uid volume or net
drained weight at wholesale
or retail. They must be clearly
labeled by volume or weight.
A maximum of 15% free liquid
by weight is permied for
oysters sold by volume. You
may only sell shucked oysters
by count at nal retail sale;
if they are prepackaged, you
must also label them by net
drained weight.
π H (R2
2+
R1*R2+R1
2
)
3
V =
Formula for measuring the
volume of a basket.
the vessel used to transport oysters to another state and allow LDWF to
access the system.
If you harvest oysters outside of Louisiana waters but land them in
Louisiana, you must tag sacks or containers according to the laws of the
state where you harvested the oysters.
Packaging, Labeling & Distributing Shucked Oysters
You must follow the Naonal Instute of Standards and Technology’s
guidelines when packaging, labeling or distribung shucked oysters.
You may only shuck and pre-package oysters in LDH-cered facilies. You
may only ship them in LDH-approved containers.
When packing shucked oysters, you must mark the containers with:
• Your packer cercate number preceded by the leers LA.
• The packing date in code or by actual date.
Shipping documents for shucked oysters must show:
• The name and address of the buyer.
• Shipper’s name, address and cercate number.
• State of origin.
You must also keep accurate records of the source of the oysters so they
can be traced back to the harvest tag and label containers of shucked
oysters with this informaon.
You may not use containers with the cercate number of another packer.
If you repack oysters, you must keep records which show the packing
date, cercate number and name and address of the original shucker
and packer.
You may not sell or distribute shucked oyster containers to anyone that
has not been cered by LDH. The packer, distributor or purchaser shall
not resell shucked oyster containers. Nonresidents who purchase new and
unused shucked oyster containers must have a valid cercate from an
appropriate state agency that regulates the seafood industry.
Shucked oysters must maintain a temperature of 45
o
F or below throughout
transit.
Harvesting Oysters for Shucking or Post-Harvest Processing
Your me/temperature log sheet must document the date and me harvest began for each lot of oysters. If your harvest vessel is equipped with
refrigeraon capabilies, you must provide documentaon to the original dealer that you have met the me and temperature requirements.
If you harvest oysters for delivery to a steam factory for canning and thermal processing, you must land them at the factory within 72 hours from the me
harvesng begins. You must document the me harvesng begins and the me of arrival at the factory on your invoice.
19
Packaging, Labeling & Shipping In-Shell Oysters
You must pack in-shell oysters (except those for bulk shipments) in clean
barrels or sacks.
When in-shell oysters are temporarily ooaded for any reason, you must
store them on pallets or on a well-graded paved surface and limit direct
exposure to the sun to no more than 30 minutes. Live oysters should not
be in standing water at any me.
If you ship in-shell oysters in bulk, you may not ship them by truck or car,
except when shipping from only one seller to only one buyer. An oyster
harvest tag must accompany each shipment.
You may ship in-shell oysters in bulk by boat when harvesters obtain the
oysters directly from growing areas and sell them without shucking them.
When you ship in-shell oysters by boat, you must label the shipment
according to requirements for shucked oysters. If these oysters are
intended for processing in shucking houses, the boat operator must keep
records in a book provided for such purposes only, showing the sources
and quanty of oysters, date and local waters where the oysters were
taken, and license or cercate number of persons buying and selling the
oysters. The operator must keep these records for 12 months.
All land-based deliveries of in-shell oysters must be made aboard
mechanically refrigerated trucks with an internal air temperature of
Post-Harvest Processing
If you process oysters to reduce the level of a parcular pathogen, you must:
• Have a HACCP plan approved by LDH that ensures the processing
method reduces pathogen(s) in the product to established safe levels
for the at-risk populaon. This plan must include process controls and
periodic sampling to ensure and verify that these criteria are met.
• Package and label all oysters in accordance with all Naonal Shellsh
Sanitaon Program requirements.
• Keep records in accordance with the Naonal Shellsh Sanitaon
Program.
If you meet the above requirements, you may label your processed
product as:
• “Processed for added safety,” if the process reduces the levels of
all pathogens of public health concern to safe levels for the at-risk
populaon.
• “Processed to reduce [name of target pathogen(s)] to non-detectable
levels,” if the process reduces one or more, but not all, pathogens of
public health concern to safe levels for the at-risk populaon, and if
that level is non-detectable.
• “Processed to reduce [name of target pathogen(s)] to non-detectable
levels for added safety,” if the process reduces one or more, but not
all, pathogens of public health concern to safe levels for the at-risk
populaon, and if that level is non-detectable.
A term that describes the type of process applied (e.g. “pasteurized,”
“individually quick frozen,” “pressure treated”) may be substuted for the
word “processed” in the above opons.
If your end product is dead, refrigerate it according to requirements for
shucked oysters; if your end product is live, refrigerate it according to
requirements for in-shell oysters.
You must tag all in-shell oysters that have gone through post-harvest
processing with a blue tag, which must include the cercaon number
of the post-harvest processing facility. A blue tag indicates that the oysters
have been post-harvest processed by a cered dealer and may now be
sold for raw (half-shell) consumpon in both interstate and intrastate
commerce.
45°F or less. (Excepons: deliveries to cered shellsh dealers located
less than 30 minutes from the dock and deliveries to steam factories for
thermal processing and canning from November through May within 72
hours from the me harvesng began.)
Railroad cars and trucks in which oysters are shipped in sacks must be
kept clean; both are subject to inspecon. Vessels used to transport in-
shell oysters must be constructed to prevent contaminaon, deterioraon
and decomposion of oysters during transport. They must be pre-chilled
to 45°F or below prior to loading; the dealer must document compliance
with this temperature requirement.
For shipments by air, in-shell oysters must have an internal meat
temperature of 45°F or less at all mes. You must pre-chill them to an
internal temperature of 40°F or less prior to packing them into insulated
containers with frozen gel packs.
If you receive in-shell oysters either sacked or in boxes from a cered
dealer and do not process or repack them, you must label the package
with your name and cercaon number if you reship them to another
cered dealer, wholesaler or retailer.
You may label in-shell oysters in sacks in bulk when the sale is between
cered dealers.
Selling Raw Oysters
You may sell oysters harvested from Louisiana waters for raw consumpon
within the state throughout the year as long as they meet refrigeraon
requirements specied on page 17.
All establishments that sell or serve raw oysters must display one of the
following messages at the point of sale; the message must also appear
on the main display panel and on top of containers of pre-packaged raw
oysters.
• “There may be a risk associated with consuming raw shellsh as is
the case with other raw protein products. If you suer from chronic
illness of the liver, stomach or blood or have other immune disorders,
you should eat these products fully cooked.”
• “Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellsh
or eggs may increase your risk of foodborne illness, especially if you
have certain medical condions.”
Other Requirements
You must keep oysters in the container in which they were received unl they are used, unless displaying them for retail sale. You may not mix oysters
from dierent lots.
Recalls
Cered dealers must have wrien procedures for recalling adulterated or misbranded oyster products. These procedures must be based on and
complementary to FDA policy.
Cered dealers must follow these procedures including mely nocaon to LDH and the product buyer of a situaon requiring recall and eecve
removal or correcon of the aected product.
20
LEGAL FINFISH GEAR
Gear License Fees, Requirements & Restrictions
To use or possess commercial shing gear, you must have a Commercial Gear License for your gear. You must also have addional special permits to
harvest some species and/or use certain gear, and there are specic requirements and restricons for the use of some commercial shing gear.
License Fee
Other
Freshwater
Gear
License
$37.50
resident
$150
nonresident
Cans, Buckets, Pipes, Drums, Tires, Cast Net, Dip Net, Garsh Gig, Bow & Arrow, Spear Gun
Gill Net
• Prohibited in saltwater (unless you have a special permit to use strike nets to harvest mullet or pompano).
• Net must not exceed 1,200 feet in length. Mesh must be at least 3 inches square or 6 inches stretched aer treang
with tar or copper. You must aach waterproof tags with your name and license number to the cork line at the end
of each net, no more than 3 feet from the webbing edge.
Hoop Net
• Mesh must be at least 1 inch square or 2 inches stretched aer treang with tar or copper.
• Saltwater: you may leave hoop nets unaended if they’re aached to a wharf at an inhabitable camp and tagged
with an LDWF-issued tag. You may leave hoop nets without leads unaended only if you’re harvesng caish. You
may not have red drum or spoed seatrout on board any vessel that’s carrying a hoop net.
• Freshwater: You may only use wings and leads in overow regions (where the water is out of the bed of the natural
stream or lake). You must set them at least 500 feet from the bed. Wings or leads must be at least 100 feet apart.
Leads must not exceed 25 feet in length. You may not use a hoop net with leads to harvest mullet.
Minnow Traps
• Throats or ues must not exceed 1 inch in width.
• You may only use minnow traps to harvest minnows for bait.
Seine
• Prohibited in saltwater.
• Net may be no longer than 1,200 feet; mesh must be at least 2 inches square or 4 inches stretched aer treang
with tar or copper.
Slat Trap
• Any legal number
• May only be used to capture caish.
• At least one pair of slats must be at least 1 inch apart from each other on at least three sides of the trap.
• Trap must be less than 6 feet in length, 2 feet in diameter or width.
• Trap must have one or more cone-shaped throats, ues or entrances
Set Lines (trot, bush, yo-yos, triggers, etc.)
• Trotline hooks must be at least 24 inches apart. Trotline must not be longer than 440 yards.
Trammel Net
• Prohibited in saltwater.
• Net must not exceed 1,200 feet. Mesh must be at least 3 inches square or 6 inches stretched aer treang with tar
or copper. You must aach waterproof tags with your name and license number to the cork line at the end of each
net, no more than 3 feet from the webbing edge.
Wire Net
• Net mesh must be at least 1 inch square or 2 inches stretched; wire mesh must be 5 inches or larger to support the
webbing.
Shad Seine
$37.50
resident
$150
nonresident
• One shad seine per licensee per vessel; you may not use more than two vessels at a me.
• You may only use a shad seine in freshwater areas of the state, except in the Pearl River and Pearl River navigaonal
canal and other waterbodies where seines are prohibited.
• Shad seines may be used for shad, skipjack herring and any other legal-sized freshwater commercial sh. All sh
on board your vessel must have their heads and caudal ns intact. There is no daily take or possession limit for
commercial harvest of shad and skipjack taken by properly licensed shad seine commercial shermen.
• Net may be no longer that 1,200 feet. Mesh must be at least 1-inch bar and 2 inches stretched but no more than
2-inch bar and 4 inches stretched. No monolament mesh.
• A 1-gallon jug painted internaonal orange and marked, in black leers, with the words “Shad Seine” and waterproof
tags with your full name and license number must be aached to each end of the net.
• You may not use the net in a manner that restricts navigaon or other vessels or interferes with commercial
shipping. Never leave your net unaended. Only strike shing is allowed.
21
(cont.)
License Fee
Shad Gill
Net
$37.50
resident
$150
nonresident
• One shad gill net per licensee per vessel; you may not use more than two vessels at a me.
• Allows you to take shad and skipjack with a shad gill net in Lake Palourde, Lake Verret, Lac Des Allemands, all of the
waterways in Iberville Parish, and those porons of the parishes of Iberia, St. Marn and St. Mary located between
the guide levees of the Atchafalaya Basin. You may not take shad or skipjack in streams, bayous, canals and other
waterbodies connected with these lakes.
• The shad gill net season is closed July 1 through the end of October and on all Saturdays and Sundays. During the
open season, there is no daily take or possession limit. You may only use shad gill nets to take shad or skipjack, but
you may keep up to 25 other commercial sh. All sh on board your vessel must have their heads and caudal ns
intact.
• Net may be no longer that 1,200 feet. Mesh must be at least 1-inch bar and 2 inches stretched but no more than
2-inch bar and 4 inches stretched. A 1-gallon jug painted internaonal orange and marked, in black leers, with the
words “Shad Gill Net” and waterproof tags with your full name and license number must be aached to each end of
the net. You must place the net at least 50 feet from the tree line. You may not use the net in a manner that restricts
navigaon of other vessels. Never leave your net unaended. Only strike shing is allowed. Once you deploy the net,
it must remain staonary unl you remove the sh or retrieve the net from the water.
• During the closed season, which includes Saturdays and Sundays year-round, you may use a shad gill net to take shad
for bait purposes only under the following restricons: net must be no longer than 150 feet, you may harvest no
more than 50 pounds of shad per day, and you must aend the gill net at all mes.
Other
Saltwater
Gear
$37.50
resident
$150
nonresident
Cans, Buckets, Pipes, Drums, Tires, Cast Net, Dip Net, Flounder/Garsh Gig, Bow & Arrow, Spear Gun
Eel Pot
• You may only use eel pots to harvest eel. If you catch any other sh with this gear, you must immediately return it
unharmed to the water.
• Must be no longer than 48 inches and mesh must be at least 0.5 inch.
• Throats or ues must be smaller than 3 inches in diameter at the narrowest point and no larger than 5 inches in
diameter at the widesYou may not connect lead or wings or use them in conjuncon with an eel pot.
Hoop Net
• Mesh must be at least 1 inch square or 2 inches stretched aer treang with tar or copper.
• Saltwater: you may leave hoop nets unaended if they’re aached to a wharf at an inhabitable camp and tagged
with an LDWF-issued tag. You may leave hoop nets without leads unaended only if you’re harvesng caish. You
may not have red drum or spoed seatrout on board any vessel that’s carrying a hoop net.
Minnow Trap
• Throats or ues must not exceed 1 inch in width.
• You may only use minnow traps to harvest minnows for bait.
Set Lines (trot, bush, yo-yos, triggers, etc.)
• Trotline hooks must be at least 24 inches apart. Trotline must not be longer than 440 yards.
Slat Trap
• Any legal number
• May only be used to capture caish.
• At least one pair of slats must be at least 1 inch apart from each other on at least three sides of the trap.
• Trap must be less than 6 feet in length, 2 feet in diameter or width.
• Trap must have one or more cone-shaped throats, ues or entrances.
Purse Seine
$1,252.50
resident
$5,010
nonresident
(per seine)
You may only use purse seines in state waters to harvest menhaden and/or herring-like species.
Pompano
Strike Net
$275
resident
$1,100
nonresident
(per net)
• You must have a Pompano Permit (captain only; no fee) to use a strike net to harvest pompano (see page 24).
• You may only use pompano strike nets from Aug. 1 - Oct. 31 of each year in waters more than 7 feet deep and
beyond 2,500 feet from land within Breton and Chandeleur Sounds. You may not use them between sunset and
sunrise nor on weekends or Labor Day.
• You may not harvest any other sh while harvesng pompano with a strike net, and you may not have any other gear
on board. You may not have red drum or spoed seatrout on board any vessel that’s carrying a strike net.
• Mesh must be at least 2.5 inches square or 5 inches stretched, and net may be no longer than 2,400 feet.
• You must aach an LDWF-issued tag to the net, and your vessel must display your permit number in 8-inch high
leers.
• You may not anchor or secure a strike net to the boom. You must acvely work the net and may not leave it
unaended.
• You must nofy LDWF before you leave port to sh under the condions of your Pompano Permit and immediately
when you return.
22
SALTWATER FINFISH
Contact: Jason Adriance, 504.284.2032, jadriance@wlf.la.gov
Additional Dealer Licenses & Permits
In addion to the applicable licenses and permits listed on pages 3-6, you must have the following permits to parcipate in the following acvies.
If you are a: You must have a/an: Fees and notes:
Dealer receiving reef sh, mackerel or cobia harvested
from federal waters
NOAA Fisheries Gulf and South Atlanc Dealer Permit
You must also have a Gulf IFQ
Dealer Endorsement if you’re
receiving red snapper, groupers
or lesh (unless the commercial
sherman has one).
For details, contact NOAA Fisheries
Southeast Regional Oce at
877.376.4877.
Dealer receiving, buying, trading or bartering Atlanc
swordsh
NOAA Fisheries Atlanc Swordsh Dealer Permit
Dealer receiving Atlanc shark species NOAA Fisheries Atlanc Shark Dealer Permit
Commercial sherman with an Gulf IFQ allocaon
selling red snapper, groupers or lesh to a dealer
without a Gulf IFQ Dealer Endorsement
NOAA Fisheries Gulf IFQ Dealer Endorsement
Prohibited Gear
You may not use any of the following types of gear in state saltwater areas:
• Spears (except for ounder and garsh)
• Stupefying substances or devices
• Guns
• Poisons
• Explosives
• Tree-topping devices
• Electric shocking instruments or devices
• Seines (unless you are harvesng menhaden and/or herring-like
species)
• Snagging devices (not including bows and arrows; excepons: garsh
taken by spears)
• Longlines (not the same as trotlines-longlines are longer than 440
yards; allowed in federal waters)
• Gill nets (unless you have a special permit to use strike nets to harvest
mullet or pompano)
• Bandit gear (allowed in federal waters)
• Elevated trotlines (except in exempt areas)
• Trammel nets
You may not use any aircra including xed-wing aircra, dirigibles,
balloons, helicopters or any other form of aerial surveillance to assist in
harvesng nsh, except menhaden and herring-like sh.
(cont.)
License Fee
Mullet Strike
Net
$275 resident
$1,100
nonresident
(per net)
• You must have a Mullet Permit to use a strike net to harvest mullet (see page 24). You may only use strike nets to
harvest striped mullet; you may not harvest any other sh while harvesng mullet with a strike net (or cast net).
You may not have red drum or spoed seatrout on board any vessel that’s carrying a strike net.
• Mesh must be at least 1.75 inches square or 3.5 inches stretched, and net must not exceed 1,200 feet in length.
• You may only use one strike net from a vessel at any me. You must aach an LDWF-issued tag to the net.
• You may not anchor or secure a strike net to the water boom or shore. You must acvely work the net and may
not leave it unaended.
Rod & Reel
$300 resident
$1,200
nonresident
(any legal
number)
You must have a permit to use a rod and reel for commercial purposes. To qualify, you must have had a valid
Saltwater Gill Net License during any two years from 1993 to 1995 and provide state and federal income tax returns
(including Schedule C of the federal 1040 form) demonstrang more than 50% of your earned income came from
the capture and sale of seafood in at least two years from 1993 to 1995.
Bandit Gear You may not use bandit gear in state saltwater areas.
Longlines You may not use longlines in state saltwater areas.
Saltwater Gill
Net, Seines,
Strike Nets
and Trammel
Nets
• You must have an LDWF-issued Traversing Permit (no fee) to transport gill nets, seines, strike nets and trammel nets across state
waters to use in federal waters. You may not use these gears in state saltwater areas (unless you have a special permit to use strike
nets).
• You may not possess red drum or spoed seatrout on vessels carrying these gears.
• You must nofy LDWF at 800.442.2511 or 225.765.2441 four hours before you leave port to traverse or sh under the condions
of the Traversing Permit and immediately when you return from the permied trip.
23
Area Restrictions
Free Fish Passage: Do not set gear within 500 feet of the mouth of any
inlet or pass or within 500 feet of any water control structures. This
ensures sh can pass freely through these areas.
WMAs and Refuges: Commercial shing is permied in:
• Atchafalaya Delta WMA, except in the Limited Access Areas from
September to January each year.
• Pass-a-Loutre WMA, except in the Limited Access Areas from September
to January each year. Commercial mullet shing is only permied in:
South Pass, Pass-a-Loutre, North Pass, Southeast Pass, Northeast Pass,
Dennis Pass, Johnson Pass, Loomis Pass, Cadro Pass, Wright Pass,
Viveats Pass, Cognevich Pass, Blind Bay, Redsh Bay, Garden Island Bay,
Northshore Bay, East Bay (west of Barrier Islands), and oil and gas canals
as described on LDWF’s Pass-a-Loutre WMA map.
Commercial shing is prohibited in:
• Elmer’s Island
• Isle Dernieres Barrier Islands Refuge
• Rockefeller
• State Wildlife and Marsh Island Refuges
• Salvador/Timken WMA
• Pointe-aux-Chenes WMA (Except commercial shing on Pointe-aux-
Chenes WMA is allowed in Cuto Canal). All nighme acvies
prohibited.
Prohibited Saltwater Species
You may not harvest the following federally-listed threatened,
endangered or prohibited species:
• All whales
• West Indian manatees
• Dolphin (mammal)
• Sea turtles
You may not commercially harvest the following :
• Red drum
• Hatchet marlin
• Sailsh
• Black marlin
You may only purchase or sell the gamesh listed above if you import
them. You must nofy LDWF at 800.442.2511 or 225.765.2441 before
you import any of these sh. When you import any of these sh, you must
aach an ocial metal self-locking tag to one gill cover of each sh. These
tags must be issued by the ocial conservaon agency of the state from
which the sh was taken and must show the originang water body and
identy of the issuing agency. However, imported wild-caught red drum
must only be accompanied by a bill of lading. Farm-raised red drum is
exempt from these requirements if cered by LDWF as having been
raised and harvested in accordance with a cered aquaculture program
or a valid mariculture program.
You may not harvest .
You may not harvest, possess, purchase, sell, barter, exchange or aempt
any of these acvies for the following shark species:
• Atlanc angel
• Bigeye sixgill
• Caribbean reef
• Galapagos
• Narrowtooth
• Sevengill
• Smalltooth
Visit go.usa.gov/xPm3x for informaon on idenfying sharks and best
pracces for handling sharks.
• Striped marlin
• Blue marlin
• White marlin
• Bigeye sand ger
• Bignose
• Dusky
• Longn mako
• Sand ger
• Smalltail
• White
• Basking
• Bigeye thresher
• Caribbean sharpnose
• Largetooth sawsh
• Night
• Sixgill
• Whale
Species Regulations
You must return undersized sh back to the water unharmed; 5% (by number) of each species of commercial sh you harvest may be smaller than the
legal limit. You may harvest commercial species with no specied size limit in any size and quanty. No one may sell, purchase, barter, trade or exchange
undersized sh (or aempt to do any of these acvies).
Make sure that all saltwater nsh, except garsh, tuna, swordsh and sharks, have their head and caudal ns intact unl you put them on shore or sell
them. Garsh must retain a strip of skin sucient to clearly idenfy the sh unl you put them on shore or sell them. All sharks aboard your vessel must
have their ns naturally aached by at least some poron of uncut skin.
For the most current informaon, go to www.wlf.la.gov/shing/commercial-nsh.
COMMON COASTAL SPECIES
Species Size Limit Harvest Limit Season/Times Other
Cobia
36 in. min.
fork length
Two sh per person
You may only retain or sell two cobia per
person per trip.
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 individuals
Fishing year begins Sept. 1;
open year-round, or unl
quota is harvested.
Menhaden None
• Bait Season: annual quota of 3,000
metric tons (6,613,800 pounds)
• Regular Season: none
• Regular Season: Third
Monday in April through
Nov. 1
• Bait Season: Nov. 2 - Dec.
1. If quota has not been
harvested by Dec. 1,
shery may resume on
April 1 of the following
year unl 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 sh for menhaden in
waters seaward of the inside-outside
line, including federal waters and
Chandeleur and Breton Sounds.
King
Mackerel
24 in. min.
fork length
3,000 pounds per trip
Season begins July 1, closes
when quota is reached.
You must have a federal permit when
shing in federal waters.
24
COMMON COASTAL SPECIES (cont.)
Species Size Limit Harvest Limit Season/Times Other
Southern
Flounder
None
10 sh daily for each
licensed sherman; however,
commercial shrimping vessels
may retain and sell all southern
ounder harvested as bycatch
on a shrimping trip.
Year-round
Spanish
Mackerel
12 in. min.
fork length
None
Fishing year begins April 1,
closes when quota is reached
You must have a federal permit when shing in federal
waters.
Striped
Mullet
None
• You may not harvest any
other sh while harvesng
mullet with a strike or cast
net.
• Strike net: none
• Live bait: none, but all mullet
you harvest commercially
with a cast net must remain
alive unl you sell it
• Strike net: Third Monday
in October through third
Monday in following January;
harvest only allowed Monday
through Friday, from sunrise
to sunset
• Live bait: year-round, with cast
net only; harvest only allowed
Monday through Friday, from
sunrise to sunset
• Unless harvesng mullet for live bait, you must have
a Mullet Permit ($100 resident, $400 nonresident) to
harvest and sell mullet (plus other commercial shing
and gear licenses). To qualify, you must have had a
Saltwater Gill Net License during any two years from
1993 to 1995 and provide state and federal income
tax returns (including Schedule C of the federal 1040
form) demonstrang more than 50% of your earned
income came from the capture and sale of seafood in
at least two years from 1993 to 1995.
• You may only harvest mullet commercially with a
mullet strike net (see page 20). However, you may
harvest mullet for live bait with a commercial cast net
(no more than 12 feet in radius, operated manually,
during any season, with appropriate gear licenses).
Florida
Pompano
None None
• Strike net: Aug. 1 - Oct. 31 of
each year, sunrise to sunset,
no weekends or Labor Day
• Other legal gear: year-round
You must have a Pompano Permit (no fee) to harvest
and sell pompano caught with a strike net (see page
20); applicaon period is from Jan. 1 - April 30 each
year.
Seatrout
(speckled
trout)
14 in.
min. total
length
Annual quota of 1 million
pounds
• Second day of January unl
the last day of December, or
unl the quota is reached
(whichever comes rst).
• No harvest on weekends (from
ocial sunset on Friday to
ocial sunrise on Monday).
• When you’re not on a
commercial trip, you may
harvest up to the recreaonal
limit of spoed seatrout
between 10 pm and 5 am
when the season is open and
anyme when it’s closed.
You must also have a basic
recreaonal and a saltwater
shing license. You may not
sell/ barter/trade/exchange
these sh.
• You must have a Spoed Seatrout Permit ($125
resident, $500 nonresident) to harvest and sell
spoed seatrout (plus other commercial shing
and gear licenses). To qualify, you must have had a
Saltwater Gill Net License during any two years from
1993 to 1995 and provide state and federal income
tax returns (including Schedule C of the federal 1040
form) demonstrang more than 50% of your earned
income came from the capture and sale of seafood
in at least two years from 1993 to 1995. Saltwater
guides may not obtain a Spoed Seatrout Permit.
• You may only use commercial rod-and-reel gear
to harvest spoed seatrout. No vessel carrying or
shing a gill, hoop, trammel or seine net may have
spoed seatrout aboard.
• All on board a vessel commercially shing spoed
seatrout must be a licensed commercial shermen.
• No commercial harvest of spoed seatrout in
Louisiana waters west of the Mermentau River.
Sheeps-
head
10 in. min.
fork length
None Year-round
Tripletail
18 in.
min. total
length
100 pounds per trip; no more
than one vessel trip per day
Year-round
HIGHLY MIGRATORY SPECIES
Species Size Limit Harvest Limit Season Other
Shark None
Under the LDWF-issued shark permit,
45* large coastal sharks per trip per
day per permied angler on the
vessel; large coastal sharks include:
blackp, bull, great hammerhead,
lemon, nurse, sandbar, scalloped
hammerhead, silky, smooth
hammerhead, spinner and ger
sharks. Harvest limits and sizes may
vary in federal waters; check federal
regulaons at www.gulfcouncil.org.
*Starng March 10, 2022, the
possession limit temporarily increases
to 55 unl Dec. 31, 2022.
State
waters:
Closed
April 1 -
June 30
• You must have an LDWF-issued Shark Permit ($12.50) to harvest shark.
If you’re shing in federal waters, you must also have a Federal Shark
Permit. Go to sheries.noaa.gov for federal informaon.
• You may not possess sandbar sharks unless you have a valid Federal
Shark Research Permit.
• Shark nning is illegal. All sharks aboard your vessel must have their ns
naturally aached by at least some poron of uncut skin.
• You may not transfer sharks between vessels.
• You may only skin or scale sharks aer you have put them on shore or
when you sell them.
• Visit go.usa.gov/xPm3x for informaon on idenfying sharks and best
pracces for handling sharks.
25
REEF FISH
You must have a NOAA Fisheries-issued Commercial Reef Fish Vessel Permit to harvest or sell triggersh, amberjack, wrasse, snapper, grouper and
lesh, regardless of whether you’re shing in state or federal waters. Federally-permied reef sh vessels must carry a VMS onboard. Addional
federal regulaons apply to the harvest of reef sh species. For reef sh shery management, Louisiana waters extend to 9 naucal miles. Fishermen
should stay informed of the state/federal jurisdiconal boundary as future congressional acons may aect current boundary demarcaon as it
applies to reef sh species. If a future congressional acon modies the state/federal jurisdiconal boundary, it will not impact the type of shing
gear reef sh shermen may use.
Species Size Limit Harvest Limit Season Other
Greater
36 in. min. fork length
1,000 pounds gued
weight per trip.*
Annual quotas may
uctuate; go to
gulfcouncil.org for the
most recent quota.
Opens Jan. 1. Closed
season from March 1 -
May 31; reopens June
1 if quota available.
*Trip limits may be adjusted in-season.
Please see www.gulfcouncil.org for more
informaon.
Lesser
14 in. min. fork length and 22 in.
max. fork length
None Year-round
Grouper
• Black: 24 in. min. total length
• Gag: 24 in. min. total length
• Red: 18 in. min. total length
• Scamp: 16 in. min. total length
• Yellown: 20 in. min. total length
• None for misty, snowy,
yellowedge and warsaw groupers
and speckled hind
You must have an IFQ
allocaon to harvest
groupers. Annual
quotas may uctuate;
go to go.usa.gov/
xKJHq for the most
recent quota.
Year-round
You must call NOAA Fisheries Oce of Law
Enforcement at least 3 hours, but no more
than 24 hours, before landing groupers. You
must report the locaon of landing, name
of the IFQ dealer receiving your catch and
esmated gued weight of your catch per IFQ
category. You may not transfer any of these
species between vessels at sea or dockside.
Call 877.376.4877 or go to sero.nmfs.noaa.
gov for details.
14 in. min. total length None Year-round
Banded
14 in. min. fork length; 22 in. max.
fork length
None Year-round
Black Seabass None None Year-round
Snapper
• Lane: 8 in. min. total length
• Muon: 18 in. min. total length
• Vermilion (beeliner): 10 in. min.
total length
• Yellowtail, cubera and gray
(mangrove): 12 in. min. total
length
• Red: 13 in. min. total length
• Mahogany, dog, schoolmaster,
queen, blackn and silk: none
You must have an IFQ
allocaon to harvest
red snapper. Annual
quotas may uctuate;
go to go.usa.gov/
xKJHq for the most
recent quotas.
Year-round
You must call NOAA Fisheries Oce of Law
Enforcement at least 3 hours, but no more
than 24 hours, before landing red snapper.
You must report the locaon of landing,
name of the IFQ dealer receiving your catch
and esmated gued weight of your catch
per IFQ category. You may not transfer red
snapper between vessels at sea or dockside.
Call 877.376.4877 or go to sero.nmfs.noaa.
gov for details.
HIGHLY MIGRATORY SPECIES (cont.)
Species Size Limit Harvest Limit Season Other
29 in. min. carcass length or 33 lb.
min. dressed weight
Federal
restricons
apply.
Year-round
• You must have a Federal Commercial Swordsh Permit to
harvest, possess or sell swordsh, regardless of whether
you’re shing in state or federal waters. Go to sheries.noaa.
gov for federal informaon.
• You may not transfer swordsh between vessels in state or
federal waters.
• You may only skin or scale swordsh aer you have put them
on shore or when you sell them.
Tuna
• Bigeye and yellown: 27 in. min.
curved fork length*
• Bluen: 73 in. min. curved fork
length*
• Albacore and skipjack: none
*You may remove the head of
these tuna species, as long as
the carcass length without the
head exceeds the minimum size
requirement.
Federal
restricons
apply. No
directed shing
for bluen tuna.
Federal
seasons
apply.
• You must have a Federal Commercial Tuna Permit to harvest,
possess or sell Atlanc albacore, bigeye, bluen, skipjack
and yellown tuna, regardless of whether you’re shing
in state or federal waters. You must follow both state and
federal laws, rules and regulaons, regardless of where
you’re shing. Seasonal changes in federal regulaons may
supersede LDWF’s regulaons. Go to sheries.noaa.gov or
call 888.872.8862 for current federal informaon.
• You may only skin or scale tuna aer you have put them on
shore or when you sell them.
26
FRESHWATER FINFISH
Contact: Ricky Moses, 225-765-2331, rmoses@wlf.la.gov
Gear Requirements & Restrictions by Waterbody
To use or possess commercial shing gear, you must have a Commercial Gear License for your gear. You must also have addional special permits to
harvest some species and/or use certain gear, and there are specic requirements and restricons for the use of some commercial shing gear.
TROTLINES AND YO-YOS
Black-Clear Lake, Bruin,
Caddo Lake, Chicot Lake, Lake
St. Joseph and Prairie Lake
• You must tag trotlines with your name, address, phone number and the date you placed the line. You must
mark each end of the line with a visible oang object. You must aach an 8-foot coon leader on each end
to ensure that if the trotline is le unaended, the leader will deteriorate and the line will sink. You may set
no more than three trotlines with no more than 50 hooks per line and must aend them daily.
• You may not use more than 50 yo-yos or trigger devices. You must clearly tag each device with your name,
address and phone number. You may not aach them to a metallic object or anchor them with any arcial
object. You may only anchor them to an exisng pier, boathouse, seawall or dock - you may not use any
object such as rebar, cane, PVC tubing or construcon material to anchor a yo-yo or trigger device to a water
boom, stump, tree or shoreline. You must rebait each yo-yo or trigger device at least once every 24 hours.
You must immediately remove all sh or any other animals caught or hooked on the device.
Poverty Point Lake You may not use trotlines or yo-yos.
NETS
Anacoco Lake, Lake Vernon and
between the lakes
No sh seines, gill nets, hoop nets or trammel nets.
Lake Bartholomew No sh seines, gill nets or trammel nets.
No sh seines, gill nets, hoop nets or trammel nets.
• No seines, nets or webbing in the Bogue Chio River from where it enters the state in northern Washington
Parish to where it enters the Pearl River in St. Tammany Parish.
• No hand grabbing to take sh from logs, buckets, barrels, drums or natural or arcial nesng areas.
Bundick Lake No sh seines, gill nets, hoop nets or trammel nets.
Caddo Lake No sh seines, gill nets or trammel nets.
Caney Creek Reservoir No sh seines, gill nets, hoop nets or trammel nets.
Lake Charles No buery nets or shrimp trawls longer than 16 feet, sh seines, gill nets, strike nets or trammel nets.
Lake Claiborne No sh seines, gill nets or trammel nets.
REEF FISH (cont.)
Species Size Limit Harvest Limit Season Other
(blueline,
golden and
goldface)
None
You must have an IFQ
allocaon to harvest
lesh. Annual quotas
may uctuate; go to
go.usa.gov/xKJHq
for the most recent
quota.
Year-round
You must call NOAA Fisheries Oce of Law
Enforcement at least 3 hours, but no more
than 24 hours, before landing lesh. You
must report the locaon of landing, name
of the IFQ dealer receiving your catch and
esmated gued weight of your catch per
IFQ category. You may not transfer lesh
between vessels at sea or dockside. Call
877.376.4877 or go to sero.nmfs.noaa.gov
for details.
Gray
15 in. min. fork length
16 sh per trip.
Annual quotas may
uctuate from year
to year; see the most
recent quota online at
gulfcouncil.org.
Closed June 1 - July 31
27
NETS (cont.)
Lake Concordia No sh seines, gill nets or trammel nets.
Cross Lake No sh seines, gill nets, hoop nets or trammel nets.
Cypress Lake and Black Bayou
Reservoir
• No sh seines, gill nets or trammel nets.
• No hoop nets, slat traps or wire nets from March 1 - Oct. 31.
Chicot Lake No sh seines, gill nets, hoop nets or trammel nets.
No sh seines, gill nets or trammel nets.
False River Lake, Lake Bruin, Lake
Providence and Poverty Point
Lake
You may only use gill and trammel nets from Oct. 1 through sunset on the last day of February of the following
year. Net mesh must be at least 3.5 inches square (7 inches stretched). You may leave gear overnight but may
only remove sh during daylight hours.
Fool River No sh seines.
John K. Kelly-Grand Bayou
Reservoir
No sh seines, gill nets, hoop nets, trammel nets or wire nets.
Lacassine Bayou
No gill nets, hoop nets or trammel nets from March 1 - Nov. 30 (in the poron that ows through Lacassine
Naonal Refuge).
Moss Lake No buery nets or shrimp trawls longer than 16 feet, sh seines, gill nets, strike nets or trammel nets.
Nantachie Lake No nets allowed.
Poverty Point Lake No nets allowed with the excepon of the special neng season
Prien Lake No buery nets or shrimp trawls longer than 16 feet, sh seines, gill nets, strike nets or trammel nets.
Tchefuncte River
No seines, nets or webbing in this river or its tributaries, from its origin in Washington Parish to where it
empes into Lake Pontchartrain in St. Tammany Parish.
Toledo Bend Reservoir
No gill nets, trammel nets, ag webbing or sh seines. No hoop nets from March 1 to May 15 (only in that
poron of the reservoir from a point north of Logansport where the lake enters Texas and south to a point on
the lake where the Texas Duck Refuge Canal intersects the Old Channel of the Sabine River).
TRAPS
Lake Bruin
Slat traps are allowed from Oct. 1 through sunset on the last day of February of the following year. You may
leave gear overnight but may only remove sh during daylight hours.
Poverty Point Lake No slat traps.
Tchefuncte River
No traps in this river or its tributaries, from its origin in Washington Parish to where it empes into Lake
Pontchartrain in St. Tammany Parish.
Prohibited Gear
You may not use any of the following types of gear in state freshwater areas:
You may not use any aircra including xed-wing aircra, dirigibles, balloons, helicopters or any other form of aerial surveillance to assist in harvesng
nsh, except herring-like sh.
• Poisons
• Explosives
• Tree-topping devices
• Electric shocking instruments or devices
• Elevated trotlines (except in exempt areas)
• Spears (except garsh)
• Stupefying substances or devices
• Guns
• Lead nets (excepon: leads on hoop nets set at least 500 feet from a
stream bed in overow regions)
• Snagging devices (not including bows and arrows; excepons:
caish, garsh taken by spears)
Bait
You may use the following gear to harvest minnows, shrimp and other baits permied by law:
• Seines no longer than 30 feet and with mesh no larger than 1/4 inch
• Cast nets with a radius of less than 8.5 feet
• Dip nets no larger than 3 feet in diameter
• Minnow traps
28
Prohibited Freshwater Species
You may not commercially harvest the following freshwater species:
Area Restrictions
Free Fish Passage: Do not set gear, such as trawls, nets or seines, within
500 feet of the mouth of any inlet or pass or within 500 feet of any water
control structures, dams or weirs. This ensures sh can pass freely through
these areas.
Louisiana/Mississippi Border: When shing in border waters, you
must aach waterproof tags with your full name and license number to
trotlines, snag lines, hoop nets, gill nets and trammel nets, in lieu of tags
required by Mississippi regulaons. You must place the tag within 5 feet
of one end on trot and snag lines, on the rst hoop on hoop nets and on
the oat line within 5 feet of one end on gill and trammel nets. Louisiana
shermen using slat traps or baskets in border waters must obtain tags
from the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks.
Impoundments: You may not use nets to harvest sh in freshwater
impoundments during water drawdown periods, unless LDWF species
otherwise. Closures begin on the date the drawdown control structure
opens and connues unl the lake is full again.
WMAs and Refuges: Commercial shing is permied in:
• Fort Polk (specic regulaons pertaining to shing are posted at
specic lakes).
• Grassy Lake,* except in Smith Bay, Red River Bay and Grassy Lake on
Saturday and Sunday and during waterfowl season.
• Pomme de Terre,* except on the weekends and during duck season.
• Richard K. Yancey, except during regular waterfowl seasons in Lac A’
Sostein, Moreau Lake and Hog Pen Lake.
• Spring Bayou,* gill nets and trammel nets 3.5 inches and greater
permied Monday through Friday except slat traps and hoop nets
permied any day. The take and possession of grass carp is prohibited.
Closed unl aer 2 p.m. during waterfowl season.
*You must have a permit to sh Grassy Lake, Pomme de Terre and Spring
Bayou WMAs. Permits are available from Spring Bayou Headquarters or
the Lafayee Field Oce at 337.735.8699.
• All members of the family Synbranchida (Asian swamp eels)
• All species of piranha
• All species of lapia
• Atlanc, pallid and shovelnose sturgeons (whole or any body parts,
including roe)
• Black crappie
• Bream (any species)
• Channidae (snakeheads)
• Clariidae (walking caishes)
• Freshwater electric eel
• Hybrid striped bass
• Largemouth bass
• Paddlesh (spoonbill caish)
• Rio Grande cichlid
• Rudd
• Shadow bass
• Spoed bass
• Striped bass
• Trichomycteridae (pencil caishes)
• White bass
• White crappie
• Yellow bass
Species Regulations
You must return undersized sh back to the water unharmed; 5% (by number) of each species of commercial sh you harvest may be smaller than the
legal limit, except channel caish of which 10% (by number) may be smaller. No one (commercial shermen, dealers, retailers and restaurants) may sell,
purchase, barter, trade or exchange undersized sh (or aempt to do any of these acvies).
You may harvest commercial species with no specied size limit in any size and quanty.
For the most current informaon, go to www.wlf.la.gov/shing/commercial-nsh.
FRESHWATER SPECIES
Species Size Limit Harvest Limit Season/Times Other
12 in. min. total
length
5% may be smaller than
the legal limit
Year-round
bigmouth and black)
16 in. min. total
length
5% may be smaller than
the legal limit
Year-round
11 in. min. total
length
10% may be smaller than
the legal limit
Year-round
14 in. min. total
length
5% may be smaller than
the legal limit
Year-round
Freshwater Drum
12 in. min. total
length
5% may be smaller than
the legal limit
Year-round
Herring
None
No limit for properly
licensed shad gill net and
seine shermen
Shad gill net season is closed July 1
through the end of October and all
Saturdays and Sundays. There is no
closed season for commercial shad
seining.
You must be properly licensed
to harvest shad and skipjack
herring with shad gill nets or
seines (see page 21).
29
cont.
Species Size Limit Harvest Limit Season/Times Other
22 in. min.
total length
5% may be
smaller than the
legal limit
Closed December through February, except in Assumpon, Avoyelles,
Iberville, Pointe Coupee, Terrebonne, Tangipahoa and West Baton
Rouge parishes, and in the areas known as Bayou Courtableau, Bayou
Teche, Lake Dauterive, Lake Fausse Point, Vermilion River, Carencro
Bayou, Queue de Tortue Bayou, Bayou Nez Pique, Mermentau River,
Bayou Lacassine, Sabine River and the Atchafalaya Basin Floodway that
is bounded by the east and west levees of the Atchafalaya Basin and is
south of U.S. Highway 190.
Grass, Silver,
Bighead and
Black Carp
None None None
Fish harvested may
only be possessed
and sold dead.
CRAWFISH
Contact: Ricky Moses, 225-765-2331, rmoses@wlf.la.gov
Gear License Fees, Requirements & Restrictions
You may use approved crawsh traps to harvest wild crawsh in Louisiana’s waters. Trap mesh must be a hexagon of 3/4-inch by 11/16-inch or larger,
measured from wire to wire, not including any coang on the wire. The openings of trap ues and throats must not exceed 2 inches. These requirements
allow small crawsh to escape the trap - small crawsh have lile market value and are important to the populaon for breeding.
To use or possess crawsh traps, you must have a Commercial Gear License for any legal number of traps. A Commercial Gear License for crawsh traps
costs $25 for residents and $100 for nonresidents.
Seasons & Size/Possession Limits
There are no limits on season, size or possession for commercial crawsh harvests EXCEPT as otherwise specied on WMAs where commercial crawshing
may be allowed. Harvest controls are not necessary as crawsh populaons are producve, resilient and inuenced by environmental condions, rather
than shing.
WMAs & Refuges
Commercial shing is permied in:
• Grassy Lake*, except in Smith Bay, Red River Bay and Grassy Lake on
Saturday and Sunday and during waterfowl season.
• Pomme de Terre*, except on weekends and during duck season.
• Richard K. Yancey, except during regular waterfowl season in Grand
Bay, Silver Lake and Lower Sunk Lake.
• Spring Bayou* (Monday through Friday and aer 2 p.m. during
waterfowl season).
*You must have a permit to sh Grassy Lake, Pomme de Terre and Spring
Bayou WMAs. Permits are available from Spring Bayou Headquarters or
the Lafayee Field Oce at 337.262.2080.
Labeling
No product labeled “crawsh” may be sold in Louisiana unless it consists of, or is derived from, the red swamp crawsh (Procambarus clarkii), the white
river crawsh (Procambarus zonangulus) or Louisiana pond-raised crawsh.
No owner or manager of a restaurant that sells imported crawsh shall misrepresent to the public, either verbally, on a menu or on signs displayed on
the premises, that the crawsh is domesc.
30
REPTILES & AMPHIBIANS
Contact: Nicole Lorenz, 225.765.2643, nlorenz@wlf.la.gov
Regulations for commercially collecting reptiles
and amphibians apply to native lizards, snakes,
turtles, frogs, salamanders and related species.
They do not apply to alligators.
Additional Licenses & Permits
If you: You must have a/an: Fees and notes:
Gather reples and amphibians
for sale
Reple and Amphibian
Collector License
$40 resident/$10 resident under age 18, $310 nonresident
Buy, acquire or handle for resale
or sell any nave reples or
amphibians, including those
reared in capvity, in Louisiana
Reple and Amphibian
Wholesale/Retail Dealer
License
$162.50 resident, $642.50 nonresident. Nonresidents may instead purchase a
Three-Day Reple and Amphibian Wholesale/Retail Dealer License ($112.50;
valid for three consecuve days). Licensed wholesale/retail seafood dealers are
exempt from this license.
Operate commercial transport
vehicles and load, unload or
transport reples or amphibians
Reple and Amphibian
Collector License, Reple and
Amphibian Wholesale/Retail
Dealer License, OR Reple and
Amphibian Transport License
OR Wholesale/Retail Seafood
Dealer License along with a
Seafood Transport License
Transport License: $47.50/vehicle resident, $185/vehicle nonresident;
transferable between vehicles. Only licensed reple and amphibian collectors
or wholesale/retail dealers may purchase. Individuals holding transport licenses
may not buy/sell reples or amphibians unless buying on behalf of the dealer
to whom the transport license was issued and transporng purchases back to
them.
Prohibited Species
• Salamanders (ger, southern red backed, Webster’s, mud and red)
• Sea turtles (green, hawksbill, Kemp’s Ridley, leatherback and
loggerhead)
• Black pine snake
• Louisiana pine snake
• Gopher tortoise
• Ringed sawback turtle
• Dusky gopher frog
• Eastern diamondback ralesnake
Legal Collection Methods
You may not remove nests or animals tending their nests. You may not use
gasoline to ush animals from hiding places. You may not destroy natural
habitat while searching for animals.
You must mark traps or other capture devices with your name, address
and license number if you leave them unaended. You must check them
daily.
You must place turtle traps in a way that leaves enough area above the
waterline for turtles to breathe. You must mark them with the words
“turtle trap.” They must have one or more horizontal throat. You may not
possess nsh while turtle trapping. You may not use any trap or net to
harvest diamondback terrapins; you may only take diamondback terrapins
by hand.
You may take frogs using any visible light and mechanical devices known
as frog catchers or with devices that puncture the skin such as gigs and
spears. You may not carry a rearm while hunng/taking frogs at night.
Closed Seasons & Areas
You may not harvest bullfrogs or pig frogs/grunters during April and May. You may not take diamondback terrapins from April 15 to June 15.
You may not collect reples and amphibians for commercial purposes from any WMA or state wildlife refuge.
Size/Possession Limits
Bullfrogs: must be at least 5 inches long*
Pig Frogs/Grunters: must be at least 3 inches long, measured from the p of the muzzle to the
posterior end of the body between the hind legs. A permied owner (or authorized representave)
of a privately-owned waterbody may take undersized frogs from their privately-owned waterbody
and sell them for stocking other waterbodies.
Diamondback Terrapins: must be at least 6 inches long on the plastron (boom shell plate)
Green Anoles: must be at least 1-3/4 inches snout-vent length or 5 inches overall length
Turtle Eggs: no harvest of turtle eggs, except for red-eared slider eggs
You may not harvest alligator snapping, box or razor-backed musk turtles for commercial purposes. You may not harvest any of the following for any
purpose in Louisiana:
INDUSTRY RESOURCES
31
REPTILES & AMPHIBIANS
INDUSTRY RESOURCES
Contact: Richard Williams, 225.765.0121, rrwilliams@wlf.la.gov
Get Involved!
To manage Louisiana’s sheries, LDWF and the Commission rely on
scienc data and landings records as well as public input. Our decisions
directly impact you, so it’s important that we have your input as we dene
management goals and strategies. We encourage you to parcipate in
the management process to ensure that we consider your interests and
that you understand the regulatory process and resulng management
acons.
LDWF has organized task forces for Louisiana’s shrimp, blue crab, oyster and
nsh industries. These task forces are made up of representaves from the
respecve industries as well as relevant state agencies. They are responsible
for studying and monitoring their industries and making recommendaons
to LDWF, the Commission and other state agencies on managing and
developing their industries. Task forces meet regularly and meengs are
open to the public. Read more online at:
• Shrimp Task Force: www.wlf.la.gov/page/shrimp-task-force
• Blue Crab Task Force: www.wlf.la.gov/page/crab-task-force
• Oyster Task Force: www.wlf.la.gov/page/oyster-task-force
• Finsh Task Force: www.wlf.la.gov/page/nsh-task-force
The Wildlife and Fisheries Commission’s monthly meengs and our open
regulatory process provide addional opportunies for public input.
Please visit the Commission’s website for more informaon: www.wlf.
la.gov/page/commission.
Louisiana Fisheries Forward
Louisiana Fisheries Forward (LFF) is a voluntary educaon and training program for members of Louisiana’s shing community. Created by LDWF and
Louisiana Sea Grant, LFF delivers training videos and fact sheets on a number of topics such as how to be a commercial sherman and seafood business
nance and management, as well as hands-on workshops, trainings and demonstraons to showcase new technology and best pracces. LFF’s goal is to
help improve the economic success of Louisiana’s shing industry. Learn more at lasheriesforward.org.
Louisiana Wild Seafood Certicate Program
Through the Louisiana Wild Seafood Cercaon Program (LWSCP), LDWF
aims to build a brand that guarantees the origin of Louisiana wild-caught
seafood. Through strict chain of custody requirements, the program
guarantees that all seafood products bearing the Cered Louisiana
Seafood label were caught in Louisiana or Gulf waters by a licensed
Louisiana sherman, landed at a Louisiana dock and processed and
packaged by a Louisiana-based company. The program provides educaon
for parcipants on best seafood handling and sanitaon pracces to
ensure the utmost safety and quality. When a buyer sees this label,
they can be condent they’re buying authenc Louisiana wild-caught
seafood, a premium product known for freshness, consistent quality and
sustainability, and that they’re supporng our local shing communies.
By branding and showcasing Louisiana seafood, LWSCP helps suppliers
increase the value of their seafood and remain compeve in the
marketplace. LWSCP parcipants benet from free markeng support,
such as:
• Market portal linking Cered Louisiana Seafood suppliers with
buyers.
• Promoons through the program website, social media and events
including seafood fesvals and industry convenons.
• Point-of-sale materials such as decals, brochures and apparel.
• Access to program partners including the Louisiana Seafood
Promoon and Markeng Board, Audubon GULF, NOAA Fisheries,
Louisiana Sea Grant and other partners who purchase and promote
Cered Louisiana Seafood.
Licensed Louisiana commercial shermen are automacally eligible for
the program; licensed Louisiana Fresh Products dealers and Wholesale/
Retail Seafood dealers must obtain a permit to parcipate. They must also
comply with all state and federal perming and reporng requirements.
Find out more or sign up to parcipate at LouisianaCeredSeafood.com.
www.wlf.la.gov/signup.
32
Licenses & Permits
To operate a vessel for hire and derive income from taking recreaonal shermen within the state to take sh, you must have one or more of the following
licenses issued by LDWF. To apply for LDWF-issued licenses, contact 225.765.2898 or visit LDWF’s headquarters at 2000 Quail Drive in Baton Rouge.
New applicants must apply in person at LDWF’s headquarters. Renew your license online at www.wlf.la.gov/page/commercial-licenses-and-permits. You
must have addional permits issued by NOAA Fisheries to operate a vessel for hire in federal waters and take passengers to recreaonally sh for and
retain federally managed species. Fishermen should stay informed of the state/federal jurisdiconal boundary as future congressional acons may aect
current boundary demarcaon as it applies to reef sh species.
If you: You must have a/an: Fees and notes:
Operate a charter shing vessel in saltwater
areas of the state
Saltwater Charter
Boat Fishing Guide
License
Up to six passengers: $275 resident, $1,750 nonresident; more than six
passengers: $600 resident, $2,500 nonresident. To qualify for this license, the
captain of a charter vessel must present the following:
• A valid U.S. Coast Guard Captain’s License
• A valid driver’s license
• A Louisiana Recreaonal Fishing License.
• Proof of liability insurance (see page 33)
A licensed Charter Boat Fishing Guide may not have a Spoed Seatrout Permit.
Operate a charter shing vessel in
freshwater areas of the state
Freshwater Charter
Guide License
$150 resident, $1,000 nonresident. To qualify for this license, the captain of a
charter vessel must present the following:
• A valid U.S. Coast Guard Captain’s License
• A valid driver’s license
• Louisiana Recreaonal Fishing Licenses (Basic and Saltwater)
• Proof of liability insurance (see page 33)
Are a charter shing operaon which
does not have a charter boat shing guide
present and consists of a large vessel
carrying small skis that will be used by no
more than two people for shing purposes
• Mothership
License (for the
main motorized
vessel)
• Charter Ski
License (for each
ski)
• Mothership with up to six skis: $1,250 resident and nonresident;
mothership with more than six skis: $2,500 resident and nonresident;
mothership captain must have a valid U.S. Coast Guard Captain’s License on
his person.
• Charter Ski License (2 persons per ski limit): $62.50 resident and
nonresident; idenes the mothership to which it is aached; a licensed ski
may only be used for shing purposes while the mothership to which it’s
aached is located in Louisiana waters
Are a charter boat captain whose
passengers are shing for tunas, billsh,
swordsh, amberjacks, groupers, snappers,
hinds, cobia, wahoo or dolphin
Charter Recreaonal
Oshore Landing
Permit
No fee; go to www.wlf.la.gov/rolp for more details and to obtain a permit.
Must be a “Charter” Recreaonal Oshore Landing Permit.
Own or operate a charter vessel or
headboat and take people out shing in
federal waters to catch and keep mackerels,
cobia, lile tunny, cero, dolphin or bluesh
Gulf of Mexico
Charter Vessel/
Headboat Coastal
Migratory Pelagics
Permit
No permits are currently being issued (as of 6/16/2003); you may not sell sh
under this permit. Go to sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/permits for more informaon.
Permitholders must comply with federal Southeast For-Hire Integrated
Electronic Reporng Program requirements (wlf.la.gov/page/seier)
Own or operate a charter vessel or
headboat and take people out shing in
federal waters to catch and keep snappers,
groupers, amberjack, lesh, hogsh or
gray triggersh
NOAA Fisheries
Charter Vessel/
Headboat Reef Fish
Permit
No permits are currently being issued (as of 6/16/2003). You may not sell
sh under this permit. If your vessel also has a federal Commercial Reef Fish
Permit, it must have a VMS onboard. Go to sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/permits for
more informaon. Permitholders must comply with federal Southeast For-Hire
Integrated Electronic Reporng Program requirements (wlf.la.gov/page/seier)
Own or operate a charter vessel or
headboat shing for or retaining tunas,
sharks, swordsh and billsh in both state
or federal waters
NOAA Fisheries
Atlanc Highly
Migratory Species
(HMS) Charter/
Headboat Permit
$20; go to hmspermits.noaa.gov to buy or renew a permit. A licensed U.S.
Coast Guard captain must be onboard the vessel shing for Atlanc HMS. The
vessel must comply with U.S. Coast Guard safety gear regulaons. A permied
vessel may take passengers to recreaonally sh for or retain any Atlanc
HMS with rod and reel; tunas, sharks and swordsh with handline; tunas with
green-sck or bandit gear; and free-swimming tunas (except bluen) with a
speargun. This permit also allows some commercial sale of tunas, swordsh and
sharks, depending on the for-hire status of the vessel and possession of certain
permits. A shark endorsement on the permit is required to sh recreaonally
for sharks.
FORHIRE OPERATORS/CHARTER VESSELS
Saltwater Contact: Jason Adriance, 504.284.2032, [email protected]v
Freshwater Contact: Ricky Moses, 225-765-2331, rmoses@wlf.la.gov
33
Insurance Requirements
Licensed charter boat shing guides and mothership vessels must have proof of liability insurance in their possession while on the water and make it
available for inspecon by duly authorized agents LDWF. Insurance must be:
• In their name (charter boat shing guides only).
• Currently in force.
• Wrien by a company with at least an A- rang in the latest prinng of A.M. Best’s Key Rang Guide.
• Of a commercial nature.
• Not associated with a primary residence.
• At least $300,000 in coverage per occurrence.
Regulations
Individuals shing under the direcon of a charter boat shing guide or
mothership operaon south of the saltwater line for saltwater species
must have a Louisiana Recreaonal Saltwater Fishing License in addion
to a Louisiana Basic Recreaonal Fishing license, except those persons
otherwise exempted.
Exisng state and federal recreaonal regulaons apply. See LDWF and
the Gulf Council’s recreaonal shing regulaons brochures for addional
details.
• Passengers on a for-hire vessel operated by a legally licensed Louisiana
guide who has a valid Charter Recreaonal Oshore Landing Permit in
his/her possession may harvest and possess tunas, billsh, swordsh,
amberjacks, snappers, groupers, hinds, cobia, wahoo and dolphin
without having individual Recreaonal Oshore Landing Permits.
• Federally permied for-hire vessels shing in state waters must
comply with federal regulaons, unless state regulaons are more
restricve.
• Passengers on charter vessels or headboats with two captains for
trips longer than 24 hours may keep a two-day bag limit of reef sh,
king mackerel and Spanish mackerel. One-day bag limits apply to all
other species and trips, regardless of trip length.
• The captain and crew of a vessel under charter may not harvest any
grouper, greater amberjack or red snapper (their possession limit is
zero).
• Operators of vessels with Gulf of Mexico reef sh charter vessel/
headboat permits must comply with guidelines for proper care and
release of incidentally caught smalltooth sawsh and sea turtles and
must have specic gear onboard to ensure proper release of such
species.
• When shing for swordsh, a charter vessel may keep no more than
5 swordsh. All swordsh must be reported via the NOAA Fisheries
HMS permit website or phone number (www.hmspermits.noaa.gov
or 1-888-872-8862).
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