The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission took action to amend the current Notice of Intent ( NOI ) in order to change requirements for the release of equipment or fish as well as the statewide fishing buffer, restricted areas off the southwest of Louisiana, and commercial menhaden fishery regulations. To extend the revised Rule into effect for the duration of the 2024 professional menhaden season, the Commission continuously adopted a Declaration of Emergency.
Following customer meetings held last month, this action took place at a particular meeting of the Commission. At its ordinary meeting on February 1, the Commission heard public comments on the current proposed Rule, but it decided not to take any further action until after further stakeholder engagement.
The Commission’s initial NOI, which was adopted in October 2023, called for a one-mile nationwide buffer, added clauses establishing the buffer zone three miles off the region between Holly Beach and Rutherford Beach in southwest Louisiana, and specified when menhaden or bycatch releases into the environment must start, as well as the conditions and penalties for doing so. You can read more about the initial Pouch around.
Modifications to the cache area
The proposed one-mile nationwide cushion is reduced by the amended NOI to one and a half miles, the buffer off Rutherford Beach is eliminated, and Holly Beach’s buffer has been reduced from three miles to just one mile.
