Louisiana
Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Secretary Robert
Barham has signed a declaration of emergency to extend the
2008 wild alligator season to official sunset on Oct. 19,
in both zones, due to Hurricanes Gustav and Ike.
The original season
was set to end on Sept. 25 in the east zone and Oct. 2 in
the west zone.
Both hurricanes
have impacted the progress of this season as LDWF estimates
that only 50 percent of the 37,000 tags allotted for the 2008
alligator season have been utilized at this time.
Many alligator
hunters and processors have had to delay their harvest and
processing efforts multiple times in order to prepare for
and recover from the two hurricanes.
"Hunters and
processors requested the extension to allow for completion
of their allotted harvest, and the department agreed,"
said Phil Bowman, LDWF Coastal and Nongame Resources Division
administrator. "This extension should give all alligator
hunters sufficient time to complete their harvest efforts."
