The commercial
fishery for tilefishes in Louisiana waters will close at 12:01
a.m. on July 22, 2006, and will remain closed until the opening
of the spring commercial tilefish season on Jan. 1, 2007.
The tilefish assemblage includes tilefish, goldface tilefish,
blackline tilefish, anchor tilefish and blueline tilefish.
The decision
was made by Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
following notification by the National Marine Fisheries Service
(NMFS) that the federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico is closed
for the commercial harvest of tilefishes from 12:01 a.m. July
22 until 12:01 a.m. Jan. 1, 2007, and per a request from NMFS.
Regulations
for the tilefish fishery in the Gulf of Mexico include a commercial
quota. Based on reported landings, the NMFS is closing the
tilefish commercial fishery in federal waters off Louisiana,
and requested that LDWF enact compatible rules. NMFS requested
consistent regulations for Louisiana waters to enhance effectiveness
and enforceability of regulations.
After
the closure, all commercial harvest, possession, purchase,
barter, trade, sale or attempts to purchase, barter, trade
or sell tilefishes is prohibited until 12:01 a.m., Jan. 1,
2006, the date set for the opening of the 2006 season. The
prohibition on sale/purchase of tilefishes during the closure
does not apply to those that were harvested, landed ashore,
and sold prior to the effective date of the closure and were
held in cold storage by a dealer or processor provided appropriate
records in accordance with R.S. 56:306.5 and 56:306.6 are
properly maintained.
