Oyster
Season to Close in Bay Gardene
Posted:
3/3/06
The 2005-06
oyster season will close in the Bay Gardene public oyster
seed reservation at one-half hour after sunset on March 8,
2006.
A description
of that portion of the public grounds in Bay Gardene to be
closed is as follows:
Beginning
at the western end of Bayou Lost at 29 degrees 36 minutes
03.9 seconds north latitude and 89 degrees 37 minutes 49.9
seconds west longitude; thence in an easterly direction along
the northern shoreline of Bayou Lost to a point on the western
shoreline of Black Bay at 29 degrees 36 minutes 00.8 seconds
north latitude and 89 degrees 36 minutes 58.7 seconds west
longitude; thence southeasterly to the eastern most point
of an island on the western shoreline of Black Bay at latitude
29 degrees 35 minutes 49.2 seconds north latitude and 89 degrees
36 minutes 30.7 seconds west longitude; thence southeasterly
to the most southern point of an island on the northern shoreline
of Bay Crabe at 29 degrees 34 minutes 56.5 seconds north latitude
and 89 degrees 36 minutes 06.5 seconds west longitude; thence
southwesterly to the most eastern point of an island on the
southern shore of Bay Gardene at 29 degrees 34 minutes 19.7
seconds north latitude and 89 degrees 37 minutes 17.3 seconds
west longitude; thence southwesterly to the most western point
of an island on the southern shoreline of Triple Pass at 29
degrees 33 minutes 56.3 seconds north latitude and 89 degrees
38 minutes 42.5 seconds west longitude; thence northerly across
Triple Pass to the southern most point of an island on the
northern shoreline of Triple Pass at 29 degrees 34 minutes
15.8 seconds north latitude and 89 degrees 38 minutes 42.7
seconds west longitude; thence northwesterly to the northern
most part
of an island on the western shoreline of Bay Gardene at 29
degrees 35 minutes 12.9 seconds north latitude and 89 degrees
39 minutes 04.6 seconds west longitude; thence northeasterly
to a point on the northern shoreline of Bay Gardene at 29
degrees 35 minutes 45.6 seconds north latitude and 89 degrees
38 minutes 15.0 seconds west longitude; thence easterly to
the most eastern point of an island on the northern shoreline
of Bay Gardene at 29 degrees 35 minutes 47.5 seconds north
latitude and 89 degrees 37 minutes 44.2 seconds west longitude;
thence northerly back to the point of beginning at 29 degrees
36 minutes 03.9 seconds north latitude and 89 degrees 37 minutes
49.9 seconds west longitude.
The Louisiana
Wildlife and Fisheries Commission authorized Dwight Landreneau,
secretary of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries,
to take emergency action as necessary to close areas if oyster
mortalities are occurring or to delay the season or close
areas where significant spat catch has occurred with good
probability of survival, or where it is found that there are
excessive amounts of non-living reef material in seed oyster
loads, or if oyster resources and/or reefs are being adversely
impacted, or if enforcement problems are encountered.
LDWF marine
fisheries biologists have documented increases in fishing
effort levels and harvest rates in comparison with recent
years. Recent declines in annual stock size and evidence of
excessive amounts of non-living reef material onboard vessels
harvesting seed oysters for bedding purposes is occurring
within this area, and this public oyster seed reservation
is being closed to protect the remaining oyster resource.
Based
on boarding report surveys of oyster boats through Feb. 26,
2006, LDWF biologists have estimated that 15,805 barrels of
seed oysters and 20,672 sacks of marketable oysters have been
harvested from the Bay Gardene oyster seed reservation since
its opening on Dec. 12, 2005.
The primary
public oyster seed ground located east of the Mississippi
River as described in LAC 76:VII.511, including the sacking
only area of the public ground which is generally Lake Fortuna
and Lake Machias to a line from Mozambique Point to Point
Gardner to Grace Point at the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet,
the Lake Borgne public oyster seed ground as described in
LAC 76:VII 513 and the Vermilion/East and West Cote Blanche/Atchafalaya
Bay public oyster seed grounds as described in LAC 76:507
and 509 will close one-half hour after sunset April 1, 2006
unless it is determined that there are excessive amounts of
non-living reef material in seed oyster loads, or if oyster
resources and/or reefs are being adversely impacted, or if
enforcement problems are encountered. The Commission at its
Aug. 4, 2005 meeting set April 1, 2006 as the last day of
the season in these areas and this action reaffirms that closing
date. The Calcasieu Lake public oyster area as described in
LA R.S.56:435.1 and LA R.S.56:435.1.1 will close to harvest
on April 30, 2006.
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