LWFC Adopts a NOI to Alter Catfish Regulations on Boundary Waters with Texas

Louisiana Dept. of Wildlife and Fisheries 01.10.14

The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission adopted a Notice of Intent that would alter daily creel limit regulations for channel and blue catfish harvested in boundary waters with Texas including Toledo Bend Reservoir, Caddo Lake and the Sabine River. The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department biologists together recommended the action based on the results of a cooperative biological study and angler input.

The current daily creel limit of 50 catfish, with a limit of five channel and blue catfish over 20 inches in total length, was adopted in 2011 as part of a coordinated effort with the TPWD to establish uniform regulations on boundary waters. LDWF and TPWD biologists conducted follow-up sampling, confirming angler concerns that the restriction was unduly restricting harvest. A joint study determined the catfish populations in question are healthy and the current regulation was overly restrictive.

The proposed rule change would maintain the 50 fish daily creel limit, but set a limit of five fish over 30 inches in total length. The action will also maintain standardized regulations in Louisiana-Texas border waters and allow anglers in Toledo Bend Reservoir, Caddo Lake, and the Sabine River to keep a greater amount of channel and blue catfish caught.

http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/news/37314-lwfc-ado…

Interested persons may submit related comments regarding the proposed rule by March 10, 2014, to Mike Wood, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Office of Fisheries, P.O. Box 98000, Baton Rouge, LA 70898-9000 or via email at comment@wlf.la.gov.

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.