La. Admin. Code tit. 76 § VII-327

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

Section VII-327 - Daily Take and Possession Limits of King and Spanish Mackerel and Cobia

A. The recreational bag limit for possession of Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus maculatus) whether caught within or without the territorial waters of Louisiana shall be 15 fish per person, per day.

B. The recreational bag limit for the possession of king mackerel (Scomberomorus cavalla) whether caught within or without the territorial waters of Louisiana shall be three fish per person, per day.

C. A person subject to a bag limit for Spanish or king mackerel may not possess during a single day, regardless of the number of trips or the duration of a trip, any king or Spanish mackerel in excess of such bag limit, except that a person who is on a trip that spans more than 24 hours may possess no more than two daily limits, provided such a trip is aboard a charter vessel or headboat, and:

1. the vessel has two licensed operators aboard as required by the U.S. Coast Guard for trips over 12 hours; and

2. each passenger is issued and has in possession a receipt issued on behalf of the vessel that verifies the length of the trip.

D. The recreational and commercial bag limit for possession of cobia (Rachycentron canadum) whether caught within or without the territorial waters of Louisiana shall be one fish per person per day with a vessel limit not to exceed two fish per vessel per day, regardless of the number of trips or persons on the vessel.

E. Commercial King Mackerel

1. No person shall take, harvest, land, or possess aboard a harvesting vessel king mackerel in excess of a recreational bag limit unless that person is in possession and has in his immediate possession a valid commercial fishing license, commercial gear licenses (if applicable) and a valid commercial vessel license. Persons taking, harvesting, landing, possessing or selling or attempting to sell king mackerel taken in or from the EEZ shall be in possession of a valid federal permit for gulf king mackerel issued by the National Marine Fisheries Service. The holder of such valid commercial licenses or federal permits (if applicable) shall not take, possess, land, sell, barter, trade or exchange or attempt to take, sell, barter, trade or exchange king mackerel, whole or eviscerated, in excess of 3,000 pounds at any time.

2. No person aboard any vessel shall transfer or cause the transfer of king mackerel between vessels on state or federal waters.

3. Persons possessing king mackerel for commercial purposes shall not possess a recreational bag limit in addition to the 3,000 pound limitations as required herein.

4. No person shall sell, purchase, barter, trade or exchange or attempt to sell, purchase, barter, trade or exchange king mackerel, whole or eviscerated, in excess of 3,000 pounds. Except that such limitation shall not apply to the resale of king mackerel by a validly licensed wholesale/retail seafood dealer who purchased such king mackerel in compliance with the regulations and requirements of this Section and in compliance with other requirements of law.

5. The season for the commercial harvest of king mackerel shall open on July 1 of each year and remain open until the allotted portion of the commercial king mackerel quota for the western Gulf of Mexico has been harvested or is projected to be harvested.

6. The secretary of the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is authorized, upon notification of the chairman of the Wildlife and Fisheries Commission, to open, close, reopen, or re-close the commercial season for the harvest of king mackerel when informed of such a season modification in the adjacent waters of the EEZ by the National Marine Fisheries Service.

La. Admin. Code tit. 76, § VII-327

Promulgated by the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Wildlife and Fisheries Commission, LR 15:868 (October 1989), amended LR 17:207 (February 1991), LR 19:513 (April 1993), LR 26:2633 (November 2000), LR 26:2833 (December 2000), Amended LR 432194 (11/1/2017), Amended LR 49703 (4/1/2023).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 56:6(25)(a), R.S. 56:325.1, and R.S. 56:326.3.