The Louisiana
Wildlife and Fisheries Commission issued a declaration of
emergency and notice of intent to modify the commercial Individual
Fishing Quota (IFQ) red snapper commercial landing and offloading
requirements, to reduce the minimum size for red snapper harvested
commercially to 13 inches total length, to modify creel and
size limits and to eliminate the commercial closed season
for vermilion snapper, at their March 6 2008 meeting, as recommended
by the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Some of these
items were passed by the Wildlife and Fisheries Commission
at their February 2008 meeting, but additional changes were
made to provide consistency with new regulations on harvest
of red snapper in Federal waters that were part of the Federal
Amendment 27 of the Reef Fish Management Plan for the Gulf
of Mexico. Providing all of the changes as a single packet
allows reef fish harvesters a more complete listing of all
potential rule changes for their information, and for the
general public to comment on as part of the rulemaking process.
At the February
meeting, the Wildlife and Fisheries Commission took action
to reduce the commercial and recreational vermilion snapper
minimum size limit from 11 inches to 10 inches total length;
the 10 fish recreational bag limit restriction for vermilion
snapper within the existing 20-fish aggregate reef fish bag
limit was eliminated; and the 40-day commercial closure for
vermilion snapper, which extended from April 22 through May
31 each year, was eliminated.
Also at the February
meeting, the Commission established rules, consistent with
Federal rules, regarding the landing and offloading of red
snapper under commercial IFQ provisions. Commercial red snapper
IFQ fishermen can land their vessels anytime during the day
and night, provided that a landing notification has been given
3 to 12 hours prior to landing; can only offload red snapper
from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and do not need to give law enforcement
an offloading notification for red snapper. For the purposes
of these regulations, the term “landing” means
tying a vessel to a dock. “Offloading” means removing
red snapper from a vessel.
At the March meeting,
the Commission established rules to reduce the commercial
minimum size for red snapper from 15 inches to 13 inches total
length.
Also at the March
meeting, the Commission established that the recreational
red snapper season will open on June 1, 2008, and remain open
through September 30, 2008. The recreational bag limit for
red snapper shall be 2 fish per person per day during this
open season. Captain and crew members shall not harvest or
possess red snapper or grouper of any species while operating
as charter vessels and headboats as defined in Federal Regulations
50 CFR Part 622.2. Their bag limit is zero for all of these
species.
The Commission's
actions ensure that regulations in state waters will complement
regulations of the National Marine Fisheries Service for federally
managed waters. NMFS and the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management
Council typically request consistent regulations for Louisiana
waters to enhance effectiveness and enforceability of regulations.
Public
comments on the Notice of Intent to modify the permanent rule
will be accepted prior to Thursday, May 1, 2008. Comments
should be submitted to Harry Blanchet, Marine Fisheries Division,
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, P.O. Box 98000,
Baton Rouge, LA 70898-9000 or by e-mail to hblanchet@wlf.louisiana.gov,
with "March Reef Fish Notice of Intent" in the subject
line.
