Article Courtesy: lafourchgazette.com | Originally Published: 9/7/2024 | Please click here for original article.
The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission recently approved a Notice of Intent (NOI) aimed at expanding recreational and commercial shark harvesting in state waters. The new regulations will remove the 54-inch size limit, as well as the bag and vessel limits for Blacktip and Bull Sharks in recreational fishing. For commercial fishers, the allowable daily harvest for the Large Coastal species group will increase from 45 to 55 sharks per trip.
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) presented data to support this decision, citing the following reasons:
- Shark populations, particularly Blacktip and Bull Sharks, have been rebounding significantly after years of overfishing.
- With shark numbers increasing, encounters with these species and incidents of depredation have become more frequent.
Secretary of the LDWF, Madison Sheahan, emphasized the importance of providing more harvest opportunities for Louisiana anglers as these species continue to recover. “We owe it to the sportsmen of Louisiana to provide additional harvest opportunities back to our anglers,” Sheahan said.
Additionally, the new rule will prohibit the retention of Shortfin Mako sharks for both recreational and commercial fisheries. The rule also grants the LDWF Secretary the authority to adjust commercial trip limits as needed.
For those interested in commenting on the proposed rule, written feedback can be submitted to Jason Adriance at the LDWF by mail or via email at jadriance@wlf.la.gov by November 7, 2024.
