• By JOE MACALUSO
• Advocate Outdoors writer
• Published: Nov 6, 2009

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For the first time in the history of fisheries management off the Louisiana coast, the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission voted to reject state adherence to federal mandates for regulating recreational and commercial catches in state waters.

The rejections came during Thursday’s monthly commission meeting.

The issue covered a broad range of regulations, notably the National Marine Fisheries Service’s recent rulings covering the closure of the recreational amberjack season that went into effect in late October; reduction of a closed season on the commercial take of gag, black and red grouper; expansion of 31 days on a closed recreational season on eight grouper species; and the closure of the recreational red snapper season annually from Oct. 1 of one year through May 31 of the following year.

All seven commission members voted to reject the three agenda items covering these federal changes.

The LWFC, through recommendations of the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries’ Marine Fisheries Section, had passed along all changes mandated by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council via the NMFS since federal regulations were initiated nearly 20 years ago.

“We have been asked to mirror federal regulations. Florida and Texas did not do that when it came to red snapper and Louisiana fishermen suffered because of that,” commission member Patrick Morrow said. “Now we are being asked to mirror federal regulations on grouper and amberjack. All this seems to have penalized recreational fishermen for commercial fishing.”

That sentiment was voiced by other commission members, notably Earl King Jr. and Stephen Oats.

Louisiana has management control over waters within three miles of his boundary with the Gulf of Mexico. From that point out to 200 miles off the U.S. coastline — an area known as the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) — the waters are managed by the federal government.

Oats asked if rejecting the regulations would effect the LDWF and/or fishermen.

LDWF biologist Harry Blanchet told the commission that none of the species are found in Louisiana waters.

LDWF Enforcement Division Lt. Col. Jeff Mayne said the closure will be in effect in federal waters. He told the commission that rejecting the federal regulations would prove to be a burden on state enforcement agents who have the power to enforce federal regulations in federal waters. He said the federal government sends $1.5 million annually to the LDWF enforce rules in federal waters.

He added that any state-issued citations written in federal waters will be shifted to federal court instead of being handled in state district courts.

King said reductions in recreational fishing seasons and daily limits in recent years forced the issue.