Commercial
Fishing for Red Snapper in LA Waters to Remain Closed Until
February 1, 2005
Posted:
12/6/04
The fall commercial
fishery for red snapper in Louisiana waters will close at
noon December 15, 2004, rather than the previously announced
date of December 10. The season will remain closed until the
opening of the spring commercial red snapper season February
1, 2005.
The decision was
made by Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Secretary
Dwight Landreneau following notification by the National Marine
Fisheries Service that the federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico
will be open for the commercial harvest of red snapper from
noon, December 1 until noon December 15. It is projected that
the commercial red snapper quota for the fall season will
have been taken at that time.
Secretary Landreneau
was authorized by the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission
to take these actions to provide consistent regulations between
state and adjacent federal waters. He noted that the season
closure is necessary to prevent overfishing of the species.
After the closure,
all commercial harvest, possession, purchase, barter, trade,
sale or attempts to purchase, barter, trade or sell red snapper
is prohibited until noon, February 1, 2005, the date set for
the opening of the spring season. The prohibition on the sale/purchase
of red snapper during the closure does not apply to red snapper
that were harvested, landed ashore and sold prior to the effective
date of the closure and were held in cold storage by a dealer
or processor, provided appropriate records in accordance with
R.S. 56:306.5 and 56:306.6 are properly maintained.
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