La. Admin. Code tit. 76 § VII-117

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, September 20, 2024

Section VII-117 - Channel Catfish Size Limit

A. Whereas, the existence of high populations of channel catfish in certain areas of Southeastern Louisiana is well documented; and

B. whereas, fish population data from these areas show that the vast majority of channel catfish are less than 11 inches total length; and

C. whereas, biological data indicate that channel catfish in these areas are stunted, relatively short for their age, and frequently found to be sexually mature well below 11 inches total length; and

D. whereas, commercial fishermen in these areas have developed markets for "short" catfish and whose catch of channel catfish is largely dependent on channel catfish that are shorter than 11 inches minimum total length; and

E. whereas, the minimum length of 11 inches has been removed on channel catfish in these areas since 1981 and no detrimental effects have been observed; and

F. whereas, Act 273 of the 1984 Louisiana Legislature authorizes the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission to suspend or reduce by resolution the legal size limit on channel catfish in those areas of the state where biological data indicates that such a suspension or reduction in the size limit would not be detrimental to the resource.

G. Therefore, be it resolved, the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission hereby suspends, for a five-year period from January 1, 1985 to January 1, 1990, the minimum size length limit on channel catfish in that portion of Southeastern Louisiana, containing Lac des Allemands, Lake Salvador, Lake Cataouatche, Lake Maurepas, the western portion of Lake Pontchartrain and associated bayous and streams, excluding the Mississippi River and Bayou LaFourche, herein described as:

a. west and south of the west descending bank of the Mississippi River from the Gulf of Mexico to the Huey P. Long Bridge; north and west of Highway 90 from Huey P. Long Bridge to Causeway Boulevard; west of Lake Pontchartrain Causeway from U.S. Highway 90 to LA Highway 22; south and east of LA Highway 22 to U.S. Highway 61 at Sorrento; north of U.S. 61 from Sorrento to LA Highway 20; east of LA Highway 20 to the east descending bank of Bayou LaFourche at Thibodaux; east of the east descending bank of Bayou Lafourche to LA Highway 1 at Leeville; east and north of LA Highway 1 from Leeville to the Gulf of Mexico; north of the Gulf of Mexico from Grand Isle to the west descending bank of the Mississippi River.

La. Admin. Code tit. 76, § VII-117

Promulgated by the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Wildlife and Fisheries Commission, LR 11:127 (February 1985).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance R.S. 56:326.