The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) will be hosting the 13th annual “Boating Education Lagniappe Day” on April 27 at 11 different locations across the state. During Boating Education Lagniappe Day, LDWF will provide instructors for the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) boating education course and NASBLA boating education certification and lunch, with some locations also providing door prizes: all free of charge. LDWF urges the public to register quickly as most places have limited spaces available and registration is on a first come, first ..read more

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries announced that the portion of state outside waters between Calliou Boca and Mound Point on Marsh Island shall reopen to shrimping at 6:00 p.m. on April 4, 2024. The opening area is defined as follows: The eastern boundary line originates on the northwest shore of Caillou Boca at 29 degrees 02 minutes 46.00 seconds north latitude, -90 degrees 50 minutes 27.00 seconds west longitude and ends at a point on the three-mile line as described in R.S. 56:495(A) at 28 degrees 59 minutes 30.00 seconds north latitude, -90 degrees 51 minutes 57.00 se ..read more

Beginning next month, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries will offer new or renewal commercial fishing licenses and boat registration transactions at field offices. Additionally, trip ticket staff will be present to train new or existing seafood dealers on the process of filling out trip tickets, to answer questions regarding trip tickets, and to take trip ticket orders (trip tickets will not be distributed on site). LDWF offers this service as a convenience to our commercial fishermen who need a commercial licenses and in-person assistance without having to drive to Baton Rouge ..read more

The 2024 private recreational Red Snapper season will begin on Monday, April 15, 2024, in both state and federal waters. The season will run seven days a week with a daily bag limit of four fish per person and a 16-inch total minimum length limit. The season will remain open until recreational landings approach or reach Louisiana’s annual private recreational allocation of 934,587 pounds. Resident and Non-Resident Recreational Anglers: Must possess valid Louisiana basic and Saltwater Recreational Fishing Licenses as well as a Recreational Offshore Landing Permit (free of c ..read more

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries announced that the 2023 fall inshore shrimp season will close at official sunset on Sunday, February 25, 2024, in the remaining state inside waters, except for the following: The open waters of Breton and Chandeleur Sound as bounded by the double-rig line described in R.S. 56:495.1(A)2.   See above or click here for a map of the closure area. Recent biological sampling conducted by the department indicates a decrease in marketable white shrimp and that the average white shrimp size within these state inshore waters is smaller ..read more

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) will reopen the oyster season in designated portions of the Public Oyster Seed Reservation in Sister Lake to allow harvest for sacking only (larger than 3 inches). Harvest monitoring by LDWF through its daily reporting requirement has indicated oyster resource is still available in Sister Lake. This reopening will allow for continued harvest of the resource available on these reefs. The following dates were set for the reopening of the oyster season: click to view larger The Sister Lake Public Oyster Seed Reservation will reopen for ..read more

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries announces that the 2023 fall inshore shrimp season will close as follows: The portion of Zone 1 from the Mississippi/Louisiana state line westward to the eastern shore of South Pass of the Mississippi River to close at official sunset on February 2, 2024, except for the following areas: The open waters of the Louisiana portion of Mississippi Sound: beginning at a point on the Mississippi/Louisiana state line at 30 degrees 10 minutes 21.95 seconds north latitude, 89 degrees 26 minutes 12.99 seconds west longitude; thence southerly to a point a ..read more

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries announced the 2023 fall shrimp season will close at official sunset on Monday, January 15, 2024, in the following portions of the state’s outside waters: Outside waters between Caillou Boca and Freshwater Bayou Canal.  The eastern boundary line originates on the northwest shore of Caillou Boca at 29 degrees 02 minutes 46.00 seconds north latitude, -90 degrees 50 minutes 27.00 seconds west longitude and ends at a point on the three-mile line as described in R.S. 56:495(A) at 28 degrees 59 minutes 30.00 seconds north latitude, -90 deg ..read more

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries announced that the 2023 fall inshore shrimp season will close in all state inside waters on Monday, December 18, 2023, at official sunset, except for the following inside waters east of the Mississippi River: Lake Pontchartrain, Chef Menteur and Rigolets Passes, Lake Borgne, Mississippi Sound, Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MRGO), a section of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW) in Orleans parish from the GIWW East Closure Sector Gate westward to the GIWW intersection with the Inner Harbor Navigation Canal, and the open waters of Breto ..read more

In state and federal waters off Louisiana Coast Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Secretary Rob Shadoin signed a declaration of emergency to close the recreational red snapper season in state and federal waters off Louisiana at 11:59 p,m. on December 31. LA Creel indicates that 845,951 pounds, or 91 percent of Louisiana’s 2023 annual private recreational allocation of 934,587 pounds, have been harvested through December 3.  A final report will be issued in January with the complete landing data for the entire 2023 season once all data has been reported. The Louisiana Departme ..read more