Commission Proposal Would Increase Live Bait Availability to Saltwater Anglers in Louisiana

At last week’s meeting the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission adopted a notice of intent to amend the Special Bait Dealer Permit rule. Amendments to the current rule would allow businesses that hold a “Special Live Bait Dealer Permit” added opportunities to meet the growing demand for live bait shrimp and live croaker from recreational saltwater anglers.

These changes would allow qualified businesses to apply for permits and conduct bait fishing operations year-round and at night provided permitted vessels are equipped with a working vessel monitoring system (VMS). Other changes include the following:

•  Allows use of skimmer net frames up to the legal maximum size (16’ horizontally; 12’ vertically and 20’ diagonally)
• Allows transfer of live bait from one vessel to another under the following provisions:
• Both vessels must be permitted under the same wholesale/retail seafood dealer
• Captain of the harvesting vessel must possess a signed trip ticket for the harvested bait
• Bait is transported directly to the wholesale/retails seafood dealer under which both vessels are operating
• Upon receiving the harvested bait, the dealer shall complete the trip ticket
• Persons convicted of a Class Three or greater fisheries violation within the previous three years prior to the date of application shall not qualify to obtain a permit or be onboard any vessel engaged in permitted activities
• Prohibits sale of live shrimp or crabs directly from a permitted vessel to anyone other than the wholesale/retail seafood dealer listed on the permit during closed shrimp season

Current regulations limit special bait dealer permittees to the harvest and sale of live shrimp and live croaker beginning May 1 of each year and between the spring and fall inshore shrimp seasons. No special permits are required to harvest and sell live bait during open shrimp season.

The proposed rule is in response to increased public demand for live bait, which often exceeds available bait dealer supplies.

“These proposed changes should enhance live bait availabilities by providing permitted dealers greater bait harvesting opportunities,” said Randy Pausina, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Assistant Secretary of Fisheries. “The rule will also boost fishing success for their long-standing favorite and Louisiana’s most targeted recreational saltwater species, speckled trout.”

Last amended in 2010, the Special Bait Dealer Permit Rule is intended solely for the benefit of the recreational fishing public which desires to use live shrimp and live croaker as bait during closed shrimp season between the spring and fall inshore shrimp seasons. Its purpose is to allow the uninterrupted operation of those commercial establishments that sell live bait to the fishing public during the spring and fall inshore shrimp seasons.

The special bait dealer permit is not intended for the direct use of recreational fishermen, charter boats, commercial fishermen who sell dead bait or for any other entity which may wish to catch bait for their own use during closed shrimp season.

Louisiana Dept. of Wildlife and Fisheries

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries – Enforcement Division(LDWF) is the fish & game regulatory agency of Louisiana. It has jurisdictionanywhere in the state, and in state territorial waters. The agency enforces both state and federal laws dealing with hunting, fishing, and boating safety. The agency also enforces criminal laws in rural areas including DWI enforcement both on highways and waterways. Most of the Department’s Wildlife Agents also carry Federal law enforcement commissions issued from the United States Department of the Interior - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and United States Department of Commerce - U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). These federal commissions allow these state officers to enforce federal migratory waterfowl laws and federal marine fisheries laws in state and federal waters off the coast of Louisiana. Besides their traditional role as a “game warden”, Louisiana Wildlife Enforcement Agents also have a number of other responsibilities, including conducting board of health inspections on some portions of the state’s commercial fishing industry. Agents are trained in and conduct numerous search and rescue operations, both in remote land areas and on the state’s waterways. Agents ensure that hunters, anglers, boaters, dealers, breeders, farmers, and transporters are in compliance with regulations governing equipment, quotas, licenses, and registrations. Agents also assist other State departments and law enforcement agencies in the coordination of educational and professional endeavors, as well as national and state emergency alerts by the Federal Office of Emergency Preparedness. In addition, agents perform search and rescue missions alone or in conjunction with other local, state, and federal agencies.