La. Admin. Code tit. 76 § VII-367

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

Section VII-367 - Derelict Crab Trap Removal Program

A. The use of crab traps shall be prohibited for a 14-day period from 12 a.m. February 1, 2024 through 11:59 p.m. February 14, 2024 within St. Bernard Parish as described below:

1. from a point originating at the most northeastern corner of Proctor Point in Lake Borgne (29 degrees 56 minutes 47.47 seconds north latitude, 89 degrees 42 minutes 54.25 seconds west longitude); thence easterly along 29 degrees 56 minutes 47.47 seconds north latitude to a point northeast of Lake Eugenie on Redfish Bayou (29 degrees 56 minutes 47.47 seconds north latitude, 89 degrees 24 minutes 00.00 seconds west longitude); thence southerly along 89 degrees 24 minutes 00.00 seconds west longitude past Gardner Island to a point located on the western bank of the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MRGO) (29 degrees 41 minutes 01.62 seconds north latitude, 89 degrees 24 minutes 00.00 seconds west longitude); thence northwesterly following the western bank of the MRGO to the intersection of Bayou La Loutre; thence westerly following the southern bank of Bayou La Loutre to its intersection with the western bank of Shell Beach Cut (29 degrees 50 minutes 28.27 seconds north latitude, 89 degrees 41 minutes 23.38 seconds west longitude); thence northerly following the western bank of Shell Beach Cut to its entry point at Lake Borgne (29 degrees 51 minutes 54.53 seconds north latitude, 89 degrees 40 minutes 32.52 seconds west longitude); thence westerly following the southern bank of Lake Borgne as it makes its northern turn at Proctor Point and terminating at the origin.

B. The use of crab traps shall be prohibited for 14 days from 12 a.m. February 1, 2024, through 11:59 p.m. February 14, 2024, within portions of Plaquemines Parish as described below:

1. from a point originating at the intersection of the south bound lane of Highway 23 and the Doullut Canal (29 degrees 23 minutes 02.72 seconds north latitude, 89 degrees 36 minutes 10.11 seconds west longitude); thence southerly along Highway 23 to its intersection with Jump Basin Road; thence southerly on Jump Basin Road as it transitions into Tide Water Road; thence southerly to the end of Tide Water Road as it intersects the eastern shoreline of Red Pass (29 degrees 13 minutes 52.41 seconds north latitude, 89 degrees 23 minutes 26.64 seconds west longitude); thence southwesterly along the eastern shoreline of Red Pass to its intersection with the shrimp inside-outside line (29 degrees 12 minutes 34.02 seconds north latitude, 89 degrees 28 minutes 10.65 seconds west longitude); thence westerly along the shrimp inside-outside line to its intersection with the western shoreline of Bayou Fontanelle (29 degrees 15 minutes 55.67 seconds north latitude, 89 degrees 36 minutes 28.71 seconds west longitude); thence northerly along the western shoreline of Bayou Fontanelle to its intersection with the eastern shoreline of Bayou Long (29 degrees 18 minutes 19.65 seconds north latitude, 89 degrees 36 minutes 05.23 seconds west longitude); thence westerly to the western shoreline of Bayou Long (29 degrees 18 minutes 19.65 seconds north latitude, 89 degrees 36 minutes 09.14 seconds west longitude); thence northerly along the western shoreline of Bayou Long and terminating at the origin.

C. The use of crab traps shall be prohibited for a 14-day period from 12 a.m. February 1, 2024 through 11:59 p.m. February 14, 2024 within Terrebonne Parish as described below:

1. from a point originating at the intersection of the western shoreline of Bayou Dularge and the northern shoreline of the Falgout Canal (29 degrees 24 minutes 44.83 seconds north latitude, 90 degrees 46 minutes 58.54 seconds west longitude); thence easterly to the intersection of the eastern shoreline of Bayou Dularge and the northern shoreline of Falgout Canal (29 degrees 24 minutes 44.00 seconds north latitude, 90 degrees 46 minutes 58.44 seconds west longitude); thence easterly along the northern shoreline of the Falgout Canal to its intersection with the western shoreline of the Houma Navigation Canal (29 degrees 23 minutes 32.52 seconds north latitude, 90 degrees 43 minutes 48.95 seconds west longitude); thence southerly along the western shoreline of the Houma Navigation Canal to its intersection with the eastern shoreline of Bayou Grand Caillou (29 degrees 20 minutes 30.46 seconds north latitude, 90 degrees 44 minutes 10.91 seconds west longitude); thence southerly along the eastern shoreline of Bayou Grand Caillou to its intersection with eastern shoreline of Quitman Bayou (29 degrees 13 minutes 23.88 seconds north latitude, 90 degrees 48 minutes 52.91 seconds west longitude); thence southerly along the eastern shoreline of Quitman Bayou to its intersection with Dog Lake (29 degrees 09 minutes 23.87 seconds north latitude, 90 degrees 49 minutes 15.15 seconds west longitude); thence southerly along the eastern and southern shorelines of Dog Lake to its intersection with Pass des Ilettes (29 degrees 08 minutes 39.93 seconds north latitude, 90 degrees 49 minutes 50.11 seconds west longitude); thence southerly along the eastern shoreline of Pass des Ilettes to its intersection with the western shoreline of Grand Pass des Ilettes (29 degrees 07 minutes 54.45 seconds north latitude, 90 degrees 49 minutes 43.65 seconds west longitude); thence southwesterly along the western shoreline of Grand Pass des Ilettes to its intersection with the shrimp inside-outside line (29 degrees 07 minutes 04.77 seconds north latitude, 90 degrees 53 minutes 03.57 seconds west longitude); thence northwesterly along the shrimp inside-outside line to its intersection with Grand Bayou du Large (29 degrees 10 minutes 46.24 seconds north latitude, 90 degrees 58 minutes 07.27 seconds west longitude); thence northerly along the western shoreline of Grand Bayou du Large to its intersection with Caillou Lake (29 degrees 12 minutes 43.82 seconds north latitude, 90 degrees 57 minutes 14.91 seconds west longitude); thence northerly along the western and northern shorelines of Caillou Lake to its intersection with the western shoreline of Grand Pass (29 degrees 15 minutes 42.31 seconds north latitude, 90 degrees 56 minutes 14.99 seconds west longitude); thence northerly along the western shoreline of Grand Pass to its intersection with the western shoreline of Bayou du Large (29 degrees 15 minutes 53.90 seconds north latitude, 90 degrees 56 minutes 16.13 seconds west longitude); thence northeasterly along the western shoreline of Bayou du Large and terminating at the origin.

D. The use of crab traps shall be prohibited for a 14-day period from 12 a.m. February 1, 2024 through 11:59 p.m. February 14, 2024 within portions of Iberia and Vermilion Parishes as described below:

1. from a point originating from the intersection of the Acadiana Navigational Channel and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (29 degrees 50 minutes 33.79 seconds north latitude, 91 degrees 50 minutes 26.43 seconds west longitude); thence southwest along the Acadiana Navigational Channel red buoy line to the red navigational marker number 20 (29 degrees 36 minutes 12.55 seconds north latitude, 92 degrees 00 minutes 18.48 seconds west longitude) near the Marsh Island shoreline near Southwest Pass; thence westerly to the Green Light Channel Marker number 21 (29 degrees 36 minutes 44.54 seconds north latitude, 92 degrees 00 minutes 21.80 seconds west longitude); thence westerly to Southwest Point; thence westerly along the southern shore of Vermilion Bay to the eastern shore of Hell Hole; thence southerly along the shore of Hell Hole to its intersection with Hell Hole Bayou; thence westerly to the western shore of Hell Hole; thence northerly along the western shore of Hell Hole to its intersection with the southwestern shore of Vermilion Bay; thence northerly along the southwestern shore of Vermilion Bay to Redfish Point; thence westerly along the shore of Vermilion Bay to its intersection with Freshwater Bayou Canal, just past Coles Bayou (29 degrees 44 minutes 54.06 seconds north latitude, 92 degrees 13 minutes 02.27 seconds west longitude); thence northerly along the western shore of Freshwater Bayou Canal to its intersection with the northern shore of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway; thence easterly along the northern shore of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway and terminating at the origin.

E. The use of crab traps shall be prohibited for 14 days from 12 a.m. February 1, 2024, through 11:59 p.m. February 14, 2024, within portions of Cameron Parish as described below:

1. from a point originating at the intersection of the western shore of the Mermentau River and Catfish Locks (29 degrees 51 minutes 47.31 seconds north latitude, 92 degrees 50 minutes 57.25 seconds west longitude); thence southeasterly following Catfish Locks to its intersection with the eastern shore of the Mermentau River (29 degrees 51 minutes 44.20 seconds north latitude, 92 degrees 50 minutes 52.98 seconds west longitude); thence southerly along the eastern shore of the Mermentau River to the eastern and western fork, just north of Lower Mud Lake (29 degrees 45 minutes 33.86 seconds north latitude, 93 degrees 01 minutes 09.03 seconds west longitude); thence southerly along the eastern shoreline of the Mermentau River's eastern fork to its intersection with the shrimp inside-outside line (29 degrees 43 minutes 46.33 seconds north latitude, 93 degrees 00 minutes 31.71 seconds west longitude); thence westerly along the shrimp inside-outside line to its intersection with Rutherford Beach and the western shoreline of the Mermentau River's western fork (29 degrees 45 minutes 33.46 seconds north latitude, 93 degrees 07 minutes 40.76 seconds west longitude); thence northeasterly along the western shoreline of the Mermentau River's western fork to its intersection with the main river, just north of Lower Mud Lake (29 degrees 45 minutes 44.93 seconds north latitude, 93 degrees 01 minutes 32.05 seconds west longitude); thence northerly along the western shoreline of the Mermentau River and terminating at the origin.

F. The use of crab traps shall be prohibited for a 10-day period from 12 a.m. February 26, 2024 through 11:59 p.m. March 6, 2024 within Livingston, St. John the Baptist, and Tangipahoa Parishes as described below:

1. from a point at the intersection of the south bound lane of Interstate 55, the northern shoreline of Pass Manchac, and the eastern shoreline of Lake Maurepas (30 degrees 17 minutes 21.92 seconds north latitude, 90 degrees 24 minutes 10.24 seconds west longitude); thence northerly along the eastern and northern shorelines of Lake Maurepas to its intersection with the east shoreline of the Tickfaw River; thence westerly to the intersection of the northern shoreline of Lake Maurepas on the western shoreline of the Tickfaw River; thence southwesterly along the northern and western shorelines of Lake Maurepas to its intersection with the eastern shoreline of the Amite River; thence southerly to the intersection of the western shoreline of the Amite River and Lake Maurepas; thence southerly along the western shoreline of Lake Maurepas to its intersection with the western shoreline of the Blind River; thence southerly to the intersection of the eastern shoreline of the Blind River and Lake Maurepas; thence easterly and northerly to the intersection of the south bound lane of Interstate 55, the southern shoreline of Pass Manchac, and the eastern shoreline of Lake Maurepas (30 degrees 16 minutes 38.34 seconds north latitude, 90 degrees 24 minutes 01.19 seconds west longitude); thence northerly along the south bound lane of Interstate 55 and terminating at the origin.

G. All crab traps remaining in the closed area during the specified period shall be considered abandoned. Crab trap removal regulations do not provide authorization for access to private property; authorization to access private property can only be provided by individual landowners. Crab traps may be removed only between one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. Department of Wildlife and Fisheries personnel or its designees are authorized to remove these abandoned crab traps within the closed area. All traps removed during a closed area are to be brought to the designated disposal area. The Wildlife and Fisheries Commission authorizes the secretary of the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to designate disposal sites and determine the final disposition of crab traps removed from the closure areas, including but not limited to disposal, buy-back, recycling, surplus in conformity with R.S. 39:330.1, or returned to industry members participating in the retrieval of crab traps from within a closure area.

La. Admin. Code tit. 76, § VII-367

Promulgated by the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Wildlife and Fisheries Commission LR 30:101 (January 2004), amended LR 31:108 (January 2005), LR 32:266 (February 2006), LR 33:113 (January 2007), LR 34:97 (January 2008), LR 36:77 (January 2010), LR 38:146 (January 2012), LR 38:3250 (December 2012), LR 40:96 (January 2014), LR 41:155 (January 2015), Amended LR 4270 (1/1/2016), Amended by the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Office of Fisheries, Wildlife and Fisheries Commission LR 422196 (12/1/2016), Amended LR 44100 (1/1/2018), Amended LR 4578 (1/1/2019), Repromulgated LR 45282 (2/1/2019), Amended LR 461815 (12/1/2019), Amended by LR 461613 (11/1/2020), Amended LR 471649 (11/1/2021), Amended LR 482767 (11/1/2022), Amended LR 5039 (1/1/2024).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 56:332(N).