The Wild Side for Oct. 11

• By JOE MACALUSO
• Advocate Outdoors writer
• Published: Oct 11, 2009

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It’s time to follow up on recent columns, notably on Marine Aquaculture and Catch Share and propositions coming from the U.S. Department of Commerce — and about the burned-down Grand Isle fishing pier.

Allison Winter, writing last week in the Environment & Energy Daily, reported that Sen. David Vitter, R-La. has filed an amendment that would put a hold on issuing permits for Gulf of Mexico fish farms until the Department of Commerce completes a “comprehensive” reassessment of how offshore fish farms would and/or could affect native fish stocks.

The Advocate used its front page last Sunday to outline the deep-water fish farm project. The plan is to use nets and cages from 3-to-200 miles off the coast of Gulf states. The initial proposal indicated the plan would “use existing structures.”

That’s my objection: What other state has more offshore structures than Louisiana?

None. And because this plan’s approval came from the Florida-heavy Gulf of Mexico Fisheries Management Council, maybe Vitter should add a proviso that the first 100 permitted structures find a home in Florida.

Using “existing structures” off our coast could, and likely would, mean recreational fishermen would be banned from approaching rigs and other platforms they’ve fished for years. From here, that looks like another push to limit recreational access.

Vitter’s “Catch Share” amendment would limit it to the existing 12 programs until a plan could be developed to resolve ongoing disputes between recreational and commercial fishing factions about allocation of existing annual fish quotas.

The old bridge

Yes, last month’s fire burned down one of the few coastal fishing piers open to fishing families — the old wooden bridge over Caminada Pass at Grand Isle.

With plans moving forward to build a new vehicular bridge across Caminada Pass, it’s time for Gov. Bobby Jindal to take the bull by the horns and push for the Department of Transportation and Development to turn over the existing concrete bridge for a new fishing pier.

There are reasons why DOTD wants to remove the existing bridge, but there are methods to make this structure safe for fishermen and safe for the surrounding area.

While DOTD is quick to run from any plan that calls for it to fund maintenance projects on structures vehicles don’t use, it’s time for our state to come up with somebody who can solve this problem and give the fishermen a first-rate concrete fishing pier.

The structure is there, and Lord knows the fishing public needs a pier.