Louisiana’s Commercial Net Season to Begin on False River on November 1

Louisiana Dept. of Wildlife and Fisheries 10.16.12

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries will implement a recurring commercial netting season on False River in Pointe Coupee Parish beginning November 1. This action removes the current net ban and allows the use of specified nets to provide commercial fishermen the opportunity to utilize the resource.

The commercial season will allow for harvest of fish species including buffalo, catfish and carp. The season will run from November 1 through the last day of February and is structured in a way to minimize conflict with boaters and recreational anglers.

In 1991, False River gained trophy status and initiated a largemouth bass management plan. This plan included a slot limit and banned the use of gill nets, trammel nets and seines. The trophy status was rescinded in 1998 and largemouth bass regulations were altered to manage for a lake of special concern. Since the lake is no longer managed under trophy status, the need for a net ban no longer exists.

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.