LOUISIANA

NEWS FROM THE LA. DEPT. OF WILDLIFE & FISHERIES
The Public Information Section of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is responsible for the distribution of LDWF news releases and the department's biweekly newsletter.

2009-322 (October 28, 2009)
L.D.W.F. REMINDS YOUTH WATERFOWL HUNTERS OF U.S.F.W.S. AGE REQUIREMENTS

In anticipation of the upcoming youth waterfowl hunts, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) is reminding hunters of the age requirements to participate in these special hunts.

The Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days are additional days outside of the general waterfowl season specifically for young duck hunters, and regulations are established by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

This year the dates are: Nov. 7-8, 2009 for the West Zone and Nov. 14-15, 2009 for the East Zone. Only hunters 15 years of age and younger, when accompanied by an adult (age 18 or older), may take ducks, geese, mergansers, coots and gallinules on these days. Daily bag and possession limits are the same as for the regular season.

If there are other open seasons, like the goose season in the East Zone, during the Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days, accompanying adults may actively hunt those species.

The age requirements are different for other youth hunts for resident game, such as deer and turkeys, and youth waterfowl hunts that occur on certain Wildlife Management Areas during the general waterfowl season. The age requirements for these hunts are established by the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission, and hunters 17 years of age and younger, when accompanied by an adult (age 18 or older) may participate. Other rules and regulations may apply.

Please consult the 2009-10 Louisiana Hunting Regulations pamphlet, local LDWF office or the Web site at www.wlf.louisiana.gov for additional information.

2009-325 (October 29, 2009)
EFFECTS OF RECENT FALL FLOODING ON WHITE-TAILED DEER

With central and north Louisiana rivers and backwater systems flooding from the high rainfall amounts both instate and further north, white-tailed deer are being forced onto higher ground and concentrated in smaller areas.

Flooding is a natural occurrence and one to which deer are adapted. Deer readily move to other locations, and will follow the water back into their normal home ranges when the water recedes.

While closing or postponing the hunting season may seem appropriate, there are many reasons why Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) biologists are not recommending either action at this time.

The high water will reduce the browse availability in the flooded areas and this vegetation will not have time to recover before winter. The reduced food availability will force some deer to rely on their body reserves. Therefore it is important, with seasonal and temporarily reduced carrying capacities, to reduce the deer herd to the levels that can be sustained by the current habitat conditions. Protecting deer during a time of reduced food availability will only cause further stress, and render deer more vulnerable to disease, parasites, low productivity or even mild to moderate starvation.

The majority of Louisiana deer habitat is privately owned and most landowners and hunters are not inclined to over harvest deer to the extent that any permanent herd reduction would be incurred. LDWF Enforcement agents will be patrolling the affected areas to enforce harvest regulations for deer.

LDWF is also warning people to not feed displaced deer. Only in extreme circumstances should this be considered and it is not recommended at this time.

LDWF biologists will monitor herd conditions in flooded areas and will respond should conditions warrant further actions. Louisiana deer have survived major floods numerous times in the past and the best thing to do is to not over react.

LDWF also strongly advises against riding levees or high ground to view deer, possibly driving them back into the water causing further stress.

For further information contact your nearest LDWF office or the Deer Program in Baton Rouge at 225-765-2351 or 225-765-2344.

2009-320 (October 27, 2009)
D.H.H., L.D.W.F. Officials Express Concerns Over Proposed F.D.A. Oyster
ACTION ON OYSTER INDUSTRY

A unilateral proposal by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to depart from an agreed plan to manage oyster safety could be harmful to Louisiana’s oyster industry, which employs more than 3,500 Louisianians, Secretary Alan Levine of the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) and Secretary Robert Barham of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) said today.

The proposal would place regulations for post-harvest processing and preservation on Louisiana harvesters which have not been imposed on other producers. Under normal conditions, oysters must either be eaten live or cooked in order to be safe. However, post-harvest processes involve treatments to the oysters that kill and then preserve them in a state similar to raw. It is widely held that these processes change the taste, texture, and color of the oysters.

Additionally, according to Michael Voisin, the co-chairman of the Gulf Oyster Industry Council and owner of a post-harvest processing plant, post-harvest processing usually doubles or triples the cost of an oyster.

“We are not aware of the reason for departing from an agreement that has provided extensive education to consumers, and has also resulted in significant advancements in our regulatory approach to the oyster industry,” Secretary Levine said. “Our public health sanitarians are extremely thorough in their efforts to sample and monitor oyster production in our state to ensure the safety of our oysters.”

For more than 10 years, the FDA worked closely with both states and the Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Conference, the organization that represents almost all oyster producers. The organizations co-developed extensive plans to both manage the safety of oysters during harvesting and transportation and to educate people who are at a higher risk of contracting a food-borne illness, such as those with conditions or diseases that have resulted in a compromised immune system.

The industry recently began refrigerating oysters for half shell consumption within five hours of harvest during the summer months (June through September) and that time was expected to decrease to two hours within the next year. All menus in establishments that serve raw oysters and all products that contain raw oysters in Louisiana are required to specifically state that raw oysters can be dangerous to your health.

“What is particularly interesting is while the FDA seems focused on domestic oyster production, there is wide evidence that imported seafood is a far greater health threat, and there seems to be little movement by the FDA to get their arms around that problem,” added Levine. “Our legislature this year passed a law requiring labeling of imported seafood for the very reason that the FDA has not yet captured this threat.”

According to Al Sunseri, Chairman of the Louisiana Oyster Task Force and owner of P&J Oyster Company of New Orleans, voting delegates of the ISSC voted unanimously last week to keep intact the current Vibrio vulnificus management plan involving strict refrigeration requirements of harvested oysters.

Also, ISSC delegates voted unanimously to recommend that FDA conduct a full-fledged cost-benefit study, including a consumer acceptance study, before any proposed Vibrio management guideline change, as the agency would be required to do before any regulation change requiring post-harvest processing.

Vibrio vulnificus is a bacteria that can be found in oyster-growing waters, particularly during warmer months. As a result of the possible presence of this bacteria, there may be a risk associated with consuming raw shellfish, as is the case with other raw protein products. People with chronic illness of the liver, stomach, or blood, or who have other immune disorders, should eat these products fully cooked.

Louisiana ranks first in the nation in terms of pounds harvested and monetary value as part of the domestic oyster harvest. The total economic impact of the state’s oyster industry is $318 million a year, and 3,565 Louisianians are employed by the industry.

“I am shocked that a federal agency that has turned a blind eye on inspections of foreign seafood imports would impose radical restrictions on an industry that has provided a safe, quality product for generations,” Secretary Barham said.

Barham added that “The effect of the proposed ban would greatly impact the Gulf Coast oyster industry and threaten thousands of jobs here in Louisiana and all along the coast. The capacity to post-harvest process the volume of oysters our fishermen bring to the dock is not in place and would be virtually impossible to put in place within the FDA’s timetable.”

The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals’ Molluscan Shellfish Program works year-round with the state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and the Louisiana Oyster Task Force to help ensure the safety of the state’s oyster-growing areas. Through a wide spectrum of oyster water inspection, sampling and testing programs using FDA guidelines, the state and its partners ensure safe, high-quality product is available for consumers nationwide.

The Task Force also helps educate consumers about the proper handling and safe consumption of oysters, including warnings for immune-compromised people not to consume raw oysters and raw oyster products.

To help ensure safety of oyster-growing waters, the Molluscan Shellfish Program:

· Collects 800 oyster-growing water samples per month from throughout the Louisiana Gulf Coast and into the Gulf, to look for bacteria that might be hazardous to oyster-growing areas.

· Collects oyster meat samples prior to the opening or reopening of areas that may have been closed for adverse weather events or manmade disasters.

· Conducts hundreds of camp surveys, shoreline surveys and marina surveys each year to identify potential pollution point sources and assess oyster-growing areas for potential hazards from sewage discharges, wild animal and bird populations, marina waters or any other pollutants that may affect the state’s oyster-growing areas.

The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals strives to protect and promote health statewide and to ensure access to medical, preventive and rehabilitative services for all state citizens. To learn more about DHH, visit http://www.dhh.louisiana.gov.

2009-321(October 27, 2009)
YELLOW RAILS AND RICE FESTIVAL SCHEDULED FOR OCT. 30-31 AND NOV. 6-7

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) is partnering with the Yellow Rails and Rice Festival on Oct. 30 and 31 and Nov. 6 and 7. The festival is free and open to the public.

The meeting site will be at different locations on each of the festival weekends. On Oct. 30 and 31, the Louisiana State University's AgCenter in Jennings located south of Interstate 10 on Hwy. 14 will host the festival. The following weekend, Nov. 6-7, the base of operations shifts to the Thornwell Association Warehouse in Thornwell located in Jefferson Davis Parish.

Participants are requested to check in at the weekend meeting site between 9 and 9:30 a.m. where they will receive additional information about the festival and view a brief presentation on Yellow Rails. Hourly departures to rice field observation points will be scheduled from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Participants will be escorted to farms harvesting the second rice crop. Facilitators on site will help point out rails (including Sora, Virginia, Yellow, and King) to participants.

The Yellow Rail is an exceptionally secretive species of marsh bird considered by some authorities to be one of the most difficult bird species to observe in the wild in the U.S. This species is reliably seen in Louisiana as they flush from rice fields in advance of rice harvesting operations.

Late fall is an ideal time to observe the birds after they arrive in Louisiana from northern breeding sites. The Yellow Rail is considered a Louisiana species of conservation concern by LDWF due to its low numbers and localized distribution.

The festival is intended to:
1) bring birdwatchers, other participants and rice farmers together during Louisiana's late rice harvest to make yellow rail searching a more reliable endeavor;

2) give individuals the opportunity to see rice harvesting operations up close and further appreciate the rich cultural traditions of Southwest Louisiana agriculture-based communities;

3) promote mutually beneficial agritourism and ecotourism that will provide recreational enjoyment and generate economic opportunities in Louisiana’s rice-growing region and adjacent areas;

4) further educate the public of the critical importance of rice cultivation and other "working wetlands" to bird populations; and to encourage cooperation between agricultural and bird conservation interests in a joint effort to preserve these relatively bird friendly agricultural systems; and, most importantly,

5) to have fun, see lots of great birds, and meet lots of nice people.

To receive email updates, as well as provide a gauge of festival attendance, please email your interest to participate to Donna Dittmann at yellowrailsandrice@gmail.com.

2009-319 (October 27, 2009)
L.D.W.F. ENROLLS OVER 213,000 ACRES OF LAND INTO RED-COCKADED
WOODPECKER SAFE HARBOR PROGRAM

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) has enrolled 213,340 acres of land owned and/or leased by the Campbell Group in the Red-cockaded Woodpecker (Picoides borealis) (RCW) Safe Harbor Program.

LDWF signed a Safe Harbor Management Agreement with the Campbell Group establishing a baseline number of 10 RCW family groups on Campbell Group lands. The RCW is a federally and state-listed endangered species that inhabits open pine forests greater than 60 years old.

The Campbell Group has agreed to proactively manage for their baseline RCW population by maintaining suitable nesting and foraging habitat, provisioning artificial cavities and performing prescribed burning. In return for their voluntary management, the group has received regulatory assurances for any additional Endangered Species Act regulations for an increase in their RCW population above the baseline number.

“The RCW Safe Harbor Program represents LDWF’s commitment to engage private landowners and reward them for proactively stewarding endangered species on their lands,” said Eric Baka, LDWF RCW Safe Harbor coordinator.

LDWF received a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Section 10 permit authorizing it to administer the RCW Safe Harbor Program in January of 2005. Multiple partners helped shape the final document including non-governmental organizations, private landowners, environmental consultants and state and federal agencies.

The RCW Safe Harbor Program is designed to encourage landowners to actively and voluntarily manage pine timber lands for the benefit of the RCW, while reducing the fear of having an endangered species on their property. Landowners agree to employ one or more of five voluntary habitat management strategies that have a net conservation benefit for the RCW. These management strategies include: forest management, hardwood midstory management, prescribed burning, RCW cavity management and RCW population management.

With the addition of the Campbell Group lands, LDWF has seven landowners enrolled in the RCW Safe Harbor Program, encompassing 366,428 acres, of which approximately 5,200 acres is being intensively managed for the RCW.

Landowners interested in the RCW Safe Harbor Program or information regarding RCW management can contact Eric Baka, RCW Safe Harbor Coordinator at ebaka@wlf.la.gov.

2009-314 (October 23, 2009)
ORPHANED BEAR CUB RESCUED IN ST. MARY PARISH

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) captured an orphaned black bear cub in Morgan City on Oct. 22 and will be transporting the cub to the Appalachian Bear Rescue (ABR) center in Tennessee for rehabilitation and eventual release back into the wild in Louisiana.

The cub’s mother and brother were fatally injured by a vehicle on Hwy. 90, just west of Berwick, on the night of Friday, Oct. 16. The surviving cub was seen on the side of Hwy. 90 for several days, but eluded capture.

“We lose several bears on that stretch of Hwy. 90 every year,” observed LDWF Large Carnivore Program Manager Maria Davidson. “The woods come right up to the highway on both the north and south side, and bears crossing this busy highway don't always make it across safely.”

The cub was sighted in a residential area off of River Road near Berwick, but became nervous when people began to gather and take pictures. The young bear then jumped in the Atchafalaya River and swam across to Bateman Island. With the cub outside a residential neighborhood, LDWF then abandoned the trapping effort and called off the searches.

On the following Saturday, however, calls to the Berwick Police Department again reported the cub on the side of Hwy. 90. LDWF initiated another trapping effort, enlisting the aid of St. Mary Parish and Berwick Animal Control.

“We used regular dog traps because they had numerous available which could be easily moved around when the calls would come in,” said Davidson. "By Tuesday, callers were reporting the cub on Hwy. 182. We had good trap placement and really thought it would be a short time before the cub would be caught. Then the call came from Newpark Environmental in Morgan City on Wednesday."

Paul Mahfouz with Newpark Environmental reported that a small cub had been seen in a woodland area near their building since Monday or Tuesday. LDWF placed a trap at that location and captured the cub on Wednesday night.

The cub weighed approximately 25 pounds when captured, which placed it at risk to survive if left in the wild on its own. The rescued cub will now winter at the ABR center and return to Louisiana in the spring when it weighs 100 to 125 pounds and can survive on its own.

Based on the wide dispersion of calls associated with this capture event, LDWF biologists suspect there may be another orphaned cub in the area. Anyone sighting a small cub in or around the Berwick area should call the LDWF 24-hour hotline at 1-800-442-2511.

According to ABR’s Web site at www.appalacianbearrescue.org, the cub will be placed on a commercial formula along with natural wild foods gathered by local volunteers. It will be housed with other cubs for comfort and companionship with minimum human contact. After an undetermined time, the cub will live in a one-acre bear enclosure with hardwood trees, natural dens and man made streams and water sources. In the bear enclosure, the cub will no longer see humans or receive human contact unless medical attention is required. Cubs will forage for their own food that is placed in the enclosure.

ABR states that their program is designed to make sure the cubs have attained at least 60 pounds in weight and that they exhibit normal foraging behavior, interacting and vocalizing with other cubs, and can demonstrate climbing skills, before being released into the wild. The cubs should also show positive bear behavior by staying in trees during the day and on the ground at night looking for food.

ABR has assisted in the rehabilitation of over 80 bears including three Louisiana cubs that have been successfully returned to state land. There are currently two Louisiana cubs under ABR’s care which will return to Louisiana when the recently captured cub is delivered to the Tennessee facility.

2009-317 (October 23, 2009)
OYSTER SEASON TO BE DELAYED IN PORTIONS OF THE PUBLIC OYSTER SEED GROUNDS

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Secretary Robert J. Barham issued an emergency delay of the 2009-10 oyster season in a portion of the public oyster seed grounds in St. Bernard Parish, as well as the entire Sister Lake Public Oyster Seed Reservation in Terrebonne Parish.

The St. Bernard portion of the seed grounds are those public grounds north of latitude 30 degrees 00 minutes 00.0 seconds N and east of longitude 89 degrees 22 minutes 50.0 seconds W. The oyster season in this area of St. Bernard Parish was scheduled to open on Oct. 28, 2009, but shall remain closed until further notice.

The Sister Lake Public Oyster Seed Reservation was also scheduled to open on Oct. 28, but shall remain closed until one-half hour after sunrise on Friday, Oct. 30, 2009. The Oct. 30 opening in Sister Lake will remain in effect until one-half hour after sunset on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2009.

The delay was issued to protect a recent spat set detected by LDWF biological sampling in these areas. Recently-settled oysters, called spat, in the 0-15mm size range made up a large portion of the total spat found in mid-October samples and indicates a recent reproductive event. These spat represent future oyster stocks and protecting them is in the best interest of the public ground oyster resource, which is at its lowest point state-wide in 20 years.

Although it was necessary to delay the season in these two areas, other public oyster seed grounds and reservations will open as originally scheduled on Oct. 28.

2009-313 (October 21, 2009)
SHELL DONATION TO SUPPORT MARINE LIFE PRESERVATION

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) today received from Shell a $450,000 donation to help support efforts to protect and foster fish and other marine life in Louisiana coastal waters and the Gulf of Mexico. The funds will be utilized by the Louisiana Artificial Reef Program.

“Our continued partnership with Shell helps our department fulfill its mission of protecting and promoting Louisiana’s natural resources, while enhancing the habitat for a variety of marine species,” said LDWF Secretary Robert Barham. “These funds will help create amazing fishing opportunities for charter boat captains, recreational and commercial fishermen and enhance the state’s reputation as one of the best places to fish in the US.”

Shell’s donation to the Louisiana Artificial Reef Program, created in 1986 to provide a sustainable habitat for Louisiana’s prolific marine life, complements Shell’s September decommissioning of its Eugene Island 331A (EI 331A) platform and the relocation of the platform steel jacket to create an artificial reef approximately 100 miles south of Iberia Parish, Louisiana.

The EI 331A structure is now the newest component of the Gulf of Mexico’s Rigs to Reefs Program, established in 1984 to convert offshore oil and gas structures that have served their useful life to designated artificial reefs where they have been found to have a “profound and pervasive” positive impact on fish and other marine life. MMS studies have found that fish densities are 20 to 50 times higher near offshore platforms than in nearby open water, an especially important fact since the Gulf of Mexico lacks any naturally occurring reefs.

Other decommissioned platforms have become favorite environments for recreational and commercial fishermen and divers who are attracted by the large number of fish which make these artificial reefs their home.

“Shell is proud to support this important program through a financial contribution to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and through converting the EI 331A platform to an artificial reef,” said Richard Newsom, Vice President for Operations Services and Project Support for Shell. “As one of the leading energy producers in the Gulf of Mexico, we operate in the Gulf everyday and have a strong appreciation for the importance of the marine life habitat and the Gulf’s eco-system.”

The EI 331A platform, with 24 well slots, began producing operations in 1972 and was converted to a pipeline infrastructure hub in 2005. It experienced significant damage from Hurricane Ike in 2008. The platform operated in water depths of 250 feet, approximately 155 miles southwest of New Orleans. Shell engineers determined that repair of the platform’s steel “jacket” structure was not feasible and that removing the platform to cerate an artificial reef served multiple purposes.

The Louisiana Artificial Reef Program was established in 1986 to take advantage of obsolete oil and gas platforms, which were recognized as providing habitat important to many of Louisiana's coastal fishes. Federal law and international treaty require these platforms to be removed one year after production ceases, at great expense to the industry. The removal of these platforms resulted in a loss of reef habitat. Since the program's inception, 75 oil and gas related companies have participated in the program. More than 60 offshore reef sites, utilizing 232 jackets obsolete platforms have been created off Louisiana's coast. The use of obsolete oil and gas platforms in Louisiana has proved to be highly successful. Their large numbers, design, longevity and stability have provided a number of advantages over the use of traditional artificial reef materials.

For information on the location of Louisiana’s artificial reef resources, go to http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/fishing/programs/habitat/artificialreef.cfm

2009-312 (October 20, 2009)
L.O.W.A. AND L.D.W.F. RECOGNIZE 2008 MALE AND FEMALE YOUTH HUNTERS OF THE YEAR

The Louisiana Outdoor Writers Association (LOWA) and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) recognized the 2008 Louisiana Youth Hunters of the Year at the LOWA Annual Conference on Oct. 17.

The Louisiana Youth Hunter of the Year Award is part of the Louisiana Youth Hunter Registry Program that was initiated by LOWA and LDWF. The Youth Hunter Registry Program was designed to recognize the state’s youth hunters and their efforts to keep the tradition of hunting alive in LA. The Youth Hunter of the Year Award is presented to a boy and girl who participate in the registry program and submit a story and photographs about their hunting experience.

Alyson Hetzel, 10, of Crowley, and the daughter of Eric and Catherine Hetzel was selected as the 2008 Female Youth Hunter of the Year. Alyson harvested her first buck with a bow and arrow during the 2008-09 hunting season while hunting with her dad in Deer Park, La.

Alyson has been hunting since the age of five, but this was her first hunt with bow and arrow. Hunting in a ground blind, Alyson fell asleep during the early morning hours and her dad woke her when the buck came into the area near their blind. Although she missed with her first arrow, she connected with the next arrow. Alyson was very excited upon finding her buck, after tracking him for about 100 yards, according to her father. Alyson said the keys to her success were practice, patience and help from dad. She added that she hopes to improve each time she hunts and she looks forward to the 2009-10 deer season.

Fourteen year-old Brandon Soileau of Krotz Springs, the son of Robert and Julie Soileau, was recognized as the 2008 Male Youth Hunter of the Year. During the 2008-09 hunting season, Brandon harvested three deer from the Sherburne Wildlife Management Area (WMA). One of these deer was a 240-pound, eight-point buck, one of the largest bucks killed on the Sherburne WMA last year. He also harvested two deer on the Indian Bayou Tract owned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Brandon does all of his hunting from a wheelchair because he was born with spina bifida which paralyzed him from the chest down. He has use of his arms and hands and this allows him to hunt with his .270 rifle. Brandon participated in the Physically Challenged Hunter Program on Sherburne, which provides wheelchair-accessible blinds to hunters.

Brandon knew he had made a good shot on the 240-pound buck even though it ran off. He waited anxiously while his godfather, Tim Bourque, brought the buck to him.

Lots of tears and smiles followed as Brandon enjoyed the moment with his godfather. He noted that the buck is much bigger than the one his dad and brother have hanging in their house. His story was reported in the Outdoors Section of the Baton Rouge Advocate and in the Spring 2009 issue of the Louisiana Conservationist.

Both youth hunters were presented certificates and plaques recognizing their achievement. In addition to the recognition, each received a $200 gift certificate from Bowie Outfitters to help get them ready for the next hunting season. All youth hunters who participate in the Registry Program receive a certificate from LOWA/LDWF recognizing their achievement.

Participants are also eligible for the drawing to win another $200 gift certificate from Bowie Outfitters. This years’ winner was Charles Jesclard of Port Barre. This 13- year-old was hunting with his dad in Area 2 and harvested a buck that was chasing a doe during the November rut.

The 2009 Turkey Season marked the beginning of the Registry Program for the 2009-10 season. The registry is open to all youth hunters, 15 years of age or younger who participate in any hunting activity during the season. To participate in this year's Youth Registry Program, simply go to the LDWF Web site at www.wlf.louisiana.gov/hunting/biggamehunts and fill out the form and send it in.

LOWA and LDWF acknowledge the support of Bowie Outfitters, the Bayou State Bowhunters Association, the Louisiana Wildlife Federation, Delta Waterfowl-Baton Rouge Area Chapter, the Louisiana Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, South Louisiana Branch-Quality Deer Management Association and Harrison Law, LLC for making this important youth program a success.

2009-311(October 20, 2009)
LOUISIANA OUTDOOR WRITERS ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCES
2009 YOUTH JOURNALISM CONTEST WINNERS

The Louisiana Outdoor Writers Association (LOWA) recently honored the winners of its 2009 Youth Outdoor Journalism Contest at their annual conference's awards banquet held in Lake Charles on Oct. 17.

Designed to stimulate an interest in writing and photography about outdoor pursuits, the contest offers students the chance to exhibit their creative skills, win cash prizes, and see their winning submissions published in various media across the state including the LOWA Web site (www.laoutdoorwriters.com), the

Baton Rouge Advocate newspaper, Louisiana Conservationist and Louisiana Sportsman magazines, the Safari Club International newsletter, and Web sites like www.rodnreel.com.

Gordon Hutchinson, chairman of the Youth Journalism Committee said, “The submissions again were outstanding in their originality, creativity and command of language. The judges always have a hard time sifting through the submissions - and tell me how they agonize over their decisions because the quality of work is so good.”

Hutchinson also said the sponsors deserve a lot of credit. “This contest would not be the statewide competition it has become without the yearly support of The Advocate newspaper, which has promoted it to educators across the state as a great literacy event, and the monetary support of the Louisiana Chapter of Safari Clubs, International - they have supplied the prize monies for the kids since the contest started in 2000.”

There are three separate categories in the contest and cash prizes of $150, $100, $50 and $25 are awarded to 1st through 4th place in each category:

The winners in each category were as follows:

SENIOR ESSAY…14-18 years of age

1st Place:
Bristie Smith, Age 17
St. Scholastica Academy
Covington, LA
“Encountering the Wonders of the Wilderness”

2nd Place:
Addie Ritter, Age 14
Episcopal High School
Baton Rouge, LA
“Caught in the Moment”

3rd Place:
Amanda Wolff, Age 15
Homeschooled
Baton Rouge, LA
“Hidden Canyon Hike”

Honorable Mention:
Cody Braud, Age 14
St. Amant High School
St. Amant, LA
“Doc Kennedy’s World Record”

JUNIOR ESSAY…13 years of age and under

1st Place:
Madeleine Juneau, Age 11
Dunham School
Baton Rouge, LA
"Sammy Gone Fishin"

2nd Place:
Kelby Greene, Age 11
Christ Episcopal School
Covington, LA
“Turtle Cove”

Third Place:
Ashley Davis, Age 12
Lee Road Junior High
Covington, LA
"Everything Eats Shrimp"

Honorable Mention:
Tristen Kyle Ebarb, Age 12
Ebarb High School
Noble, LA
"Hooked On Bream Fishing”

PHOTOGRAPHY…18 years of age and under

1st place
“Dreamy Wild Flowers”
Chandler Pearson, Age 13
Pearson Christian Home School
Vivian, LA

2nd place
“Pelican on Shrimp Boat”
Ashley Albert, Age 16
St. Michael High School
Baton Rouge, LA

3rd place
“Raccoons in a Tree”
Hannah Fabacher, Age 16
Firm Foundation Home School
Broussard, LA

Honorable Mention
“Heron in the Swamp”
Jacob Thompson, Age 17
Oak Forest Academy
Amite, LA

2009-MA05 (October 20, 2009)
L.D.W.F. AND SHELL TO HOLD JOINT PRESS EVENT ON RIGS TO REEFS PROGRAM OCT. 21

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) and Shell will hold a briefing on the Rigs to Reefs Program Wednesday, Oct. 21 at 10 a.m. at LDWF headquarters in Baton Rouge. Shell will also make a donation to the department’s Artificial Reef Program. The presentation will include underwater and aerial video footage and still photos of Shell’s current projects with LDWF.

WHEN: Wednesday, Oct. 21, 10 a.m.

WHERE: 2000 Quail Drive, Baton Rouge, LA, in the Louisiana Room

WHAT: Rigs to Reefs Briefing and Update Presented by LDWF and Shell

WHO: LDWF Secretary Robert Barham, LDWF Assistant Secretary Randy Pausina, Shell officials, and representatives of the Louisiana Seafood Marketing and Promotion Board

The Louisiana Artificial Reef Program was established in 1986 to utilize obsolete oil and gas platforms as habitat important to many of Louisiana's coastal fishes. Federal law and international treaty require that oil and gas platforms be removed one year after production ceases. Prior to the Rigs to Reefs initiative, the removal of these platforms resulted in a loss of reef habitat.

Since the program's inception, 75 oil and gas related companies have participated in the program. More than 60 offshore reef sites, utilizing 232 obsolete platforms, have been created off Louisiana's coast. The use of obsolete oil and gas platforms in Louisiana has proved to be highly successful. Their large numbers, design, longevity and stability have provided a number of advantages over the use of traditional artificial reef materials.

2009-305 (October 15, 2009)
L.D.W.F. PARTNERS WITH AUDUBON AQUARIUM OF THE AMERICAS
TO RELEASE ENDANGERED SEA TURTLE

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) and the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas (AAoA), through their partnership in the Louisiana Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Rescue Program, released an endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtle into the Gulf of Mexico yesterday. Lagniappe, as the biologists appropriately named the sea turtle, is the first animal in Louisiana’s history to be satellite tagged.

In March, she was rescued from a borrow pit pond near Freshwater City in Vermilion Parish. Biologists believe she was trapped in the pond since Hurricane Ike in September 2008.

“We eagerly await the information that this sea turtle will relay to us through the satellite tag, as we strive to unravel the unknowns surrounding this critically endangered species,” said LDWF Secretary Robert Barham. “This is an exciting day for our staff. I know I am personally looking forward to tracking the status of Lagniappe as she is able to resume her normal life in the habitat that she was meant for.”

LDWF enforcement agents, in coordination with the U.S. Coast Guard, transported the sea turtle 28 miles off the coast and released her near an oil rig where sources of food, primarily crab, congregate. Staff from LDWF and AAoA gently lowered the 90-pound female into the Gulf of Mexico and within moments watched as she descended into the darkness of the waters.

Prior to her release, the sea turtle was housed at the Audubon Center for Research of Endangered Species in New Orleans.

“Although she had no physical injuries when recovered, she was treated for both internal and external parasites acquired while stranded in the pond,” said Michele Kelly with the Audubon Institute. “Her stay at our facility was comparable to her natural environment, so the amount of time it will take her to become acclimated after the release is minimal.”

Kemp ridley’s sea turtles are the most critically endangered species of all sea turtles. Entanglement in fishing gear continues to be the greatest cause of decline and continuing primary threat to the animal.

Before her release, the sea turtle was satellite tagged to provide researchers with crucially valuable data to better understand the species and reduce potential and existing threats. Funding for the tagging project was secured by LDWF.

The process of satellite tagging involves attaching a transmitter to the sea turtle’s shell using a saltwater-resistant adhesive. Dr. Cara Field, veterinarian with the Audubon Institute assured, “The attachment process is harmless and the turtle will quickly get used to the transmitter attached to the shell. The transmitter will also have no effect on her ability to swim.”

The satellite transmitter has two metal contact points called a salt-water switch. When the transmitter is underwater, an electric current is able to flow between the metal contact points through the water. When the turtle surfaces to breathe, one or both of the metal contact points come out of the water and tells the transmitter to send a signal to the satellite. This is the only way to track a turtle in the open ocean. The battery life of the transmitter will allow tracking capabilities for approximately 250 days, if not longer.

The public will be able to track the turtle’s movement by accessing a Web link, available soon on both LDWF and AAoA’s Web sites.

For more information about this species, click here: http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/pdfs/experience/naturalheritage/rareanimal/kempridleyseaturtle.pdf

 

2009-304 (October 13, 2009)
L.D.W.F. OFFERING LIVE ONLINE STREAMING AUDIO OF SEVERAL PUBLIC MEETINGS

For those who cannot attend Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries' (LDWF) public meetings in Baton Rouge, LDWF now offers free online live streaming audio when available at www.wlf.louisiana.gov/streaming/.

Live streaming audio will be made available for all Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission meetings usually held on the first Thursday of every month at 9:30 a.m. and every Louisiana Shrimp Task Force meeting.  Some other public meetings will also be broadcasted live over the Internet at LDWF's discretion.

Advance notice of public meetings with the live streaming audio will be provided with meeting agendas sent to the media and posted on the LDWF Web site at www.wlf.louisiana.gov/news.

A Windows Media Player, or similar media player, and flash program are all that should be needed to listen to the public meetings.

Archived audio minutes of some public meetings will also be made available at www.wlf.louisiana.gov/streaming/ as minutes are approved.  The Louisiana Shrimp Task Force already has several meetings available as archived  audio at www.wlf.louisiana.gov/fishing/shrimptaskforce.

2009-299 (October 7, 2009)
RUTH M. ELSEY NOMINATED FOR THE 2010 INDIANAPOLIS PRIZE

Ruth M. Elsey, M.D., is one of 29 animal conservationists nominated to receive the Indianapolis Prize, the world’s leading award for animal conservation. 

Representing the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF), Elsey serves as a vital link between the research community, the conservation world and the commercial world of alligator farms and international trade.

She was one of the originators of the Department’s alligator management program, which has become an international model for conservation that enhances the survivability and sustainability of the American alligator and other crocodilians.  Recently, Elsey received LDWF's Secretary’s Award. 

Elsey is a native of Livonia, Mich., and attended Broadmoor High School and Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge.  She attended medical school in New Orleans and completed a nephrology fellowship in Galveston before beginning full-time conservation work with the LDWF in the small community of Grand Chenier, La. 

 
The Indianapolis Prize nominees’ work spans the globe, representing a range of species from insects to mammals, and includes amphibians, elephants, bats, wolves and sharks, among many others.  The Nominating Committee will review the applications and select the six finalists, who will be announced in the spring of 2010.  The Prize Jury will then determine the winner who will be announced in mid-2010 and honored at the next Indianapolis Prize Gala, to be held Sept. 25, 2010, in Indianapolis.

 
In addition to receiving the $100,000 prize, the recipient is also awarded the Lilly Medal, an original work of art that signifies the winner’s contributions to conserving some of the world’s most threatened animals.

The 2008 Indianapolis Prize was awarded to legendary field biologist George Schaller, Ph.D.  Schaller’s accomplishments span decades and continents, bringing fresh focus to the plight of several endangered species - from tigers in India to gorillas in Rwanda - and inspiring others to join the crusade.

 
“Following in Schaller’s footsteps will not be easy, but we believe the current nominees are exceptional,” said Michael Crowther, CEO of the Indianapolis Zoo, the organization responsible for initiating the conservation award.  “These conservationists are all living an adventure that battles the odds, achieves great victories and builds a future worth living in.”

 
The biennial $100,000 Indianapolis Prize represents the largest individual monetary award for animal conservation in the world and is given as an unrestricted gift to the chosen honoree. 

The Indianapolis Prize was initiated by the Indianapolis Zoo as a significant component of its mission to inspire local and global communities and to celebrate, protect and preserve our natural world through conservation, education and research.  This award brings the world’s attention to the cause of animal conservation and the brave, talented and dedicated men and women who spend their lives saving the Earth’s endangered animal species.

It was first awarded in 2006 to Dr. George Archibald, the co-founder of the International Crane Foundation and one of the world’s great field biologists.  In 2008, the Indianapolis Prize went to Dr. George Schaller, the world’s preeminent field biologist and vice president of science and exploration for the Wildlife Conservation Society.  The Eli Lilly and Company Foundation has provided funding for the Indianapolis Prize since 2006.  

2009-294 (October 1, 2009)
L.W.F.C. APPROVES REGULATIONS FOR ELMER’S ISLAND REFUGE

The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission today approved visitor regulations for public use of Elmer’s Island Wildlife Refuge. The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) proposed the formal regulations at the commission’s monthly meeting.

Elmer’s Island is the state’s newest wildlife refuge, located on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico across Caminada Pass from Grand Isle in Jefferson Parish.

LDWF’s Enforcement Division will enforce the following regulations, effective Oct. 1, 2009:

1. Use of the refuge will be permitted from 30 minutes before official sunrise to 30 minutes after official sunset. This includes any land access routes to the refuge. No person or vehicle shall remain on the refuge or any land access routes during the period from 30 minutes after official sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise.

2. No person shall possess any glass bottles, glass drink containers or other glass products.

3. No person shall enter onto or be on the grounds of the refuge during a restricted access period; or alternatively shall do so only in accordance with restrictions set forth by the Secretary.

4. No person shall commercially fish, conduct any guiding service, hunt, pursue, kill, molest or intentionally disturb any type of wildlife on the refuge, except for the legal recreational harvest of living aquatic resources.

5. No person shall be in areas marked as restricted by signs posted by the department.

6. No person shall operate any vehicles in a restricted area. No person shall operate a vehicle in an unsafe or careless manner as to endanger life or property or at any speed in excess of five miles per hour.

There is no permit required for Elmer’s Island access by anyone 15 years of age or younger. Those wishing to utilize the island for recreational purposes, ages 16 and above, must possess one of the following: a valid Wild Louisiana Stamp, a valid Louisiana fishing license or a valid Louisiana hunting license.

2009-293 (October 1, 2009)
HALLS AND THE CONSERVATION FUND KICK OFF EFFORT TO RESTORE AMERICA’S FORESTS
“Every Drop Makes a Difference” Campaign Will Initiate Reforestation in Buckhorn WMA

HALLS® and The Conservation Fund announced on Sept. 30 the launch of the “Every Drop Makes a Difference” campaign to preserve, restore and protect one of America’s most precious natural resources, its trees, and Louisiana will be a beneficiary.

The program features in-store promotions, a national sweepstakes and a virtual forest where participants can plant a tree online and learn more about how native forests help clean the air we breathe, filter the water we drink and enhance habitat for wildlife.

“With limited financial resources available during a period of budget reductions, assistance from a corporate partner that enables this agency to move forward with habitat restoration is greatly appreciated,” said Robert Barham, secretary of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF).

The Conservation Fund (http://www.conservationfund.org) will launch the restoration efforts at Buckhorn Wildlife Management Area, an LDWF property located along the lower Mississippi River valley. Restoring forests in this area greatly benefits the Louisiana black bear and helps improve air quality, control flooding and minimize damage from storms.

“Protecting and restoring America’s forests is perhaps one of the greatest and most important environmental challenges of our time”, said The Conservation Fund’s Jena Meredith. “Every year we lose nearly 1.5 million acres of working forest across the country, and the forests that remain are increasingly degraded. Support from HALLS and its consumers is making a critical difference to help restore these special lands for wildlife and people alike.”

With every entry in the HALLS® Every Drop Makes a Difference™ Sweepstakes (www.gethalls.com), a $1.00 donation will be made to The Conservation Fund to help support its reforestation efforts across America, up to $100,000.

“At HALLS, we believe that doing good for the community is good for business - its part of our Cadbury heritage and part of our Purple Goes Green program, a comprehensive environmental initiative. We’re pleased to partner with The Conservation Fund to help restore one of the country’s most important assets – our forests and the wildlife that take refuge in them,” said David Vivenes, HALLS Marketing Director. “With this program, we’re proving that every drop of HALLS does make a difference by helping consumers feel relief while helping to restore American forests.”

Restoring the nation’s forests is one of The Conservation Fund’s highest priorities, and the group supports numerous public natural resource agencies across the country.

“When many people think about deforestation, they think about the Amazon or even Central America,” said The Conservation Fund’s Louisiana state director, Ray Herndon. “What they may not know is that we have lost more than 20 million acres of bottomland hardwood forest over the last century along the lower Mississippi River valley alone. It’s time to turn that trend around.”

EDITORS: For more information, contact Vanessa Vaughan at The Conservation Fund, ph. 703-908-5809; Kathy Beyer DiBenedetto at HALLS-Cadbury North America, katharine.beyer@cadbury.com; or Bo Boehringer, LA Dept. of Wildlife and Fisheries, ph. 225-765-5115.

2009-292 (October 1, 2009)
L.W.F.C. APPROVES WILDLIFE REHABILITATION NOTICE OF INTENT

The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission today adopted a notice of intent that outlines rules for wildlife rehabilitators permitted by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF).

An LDWF Wildlife Rehabilitators Permit (WRP) is free of charge and is required to keep, hold or possess any sick, injured or orphaned wildlife. In addition to the WRP, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service rehabilitation permit is required to rehabilitate any species covered by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act or Endangered Species Act.

A WRP authorizes the permittee to provide housing, treatment and temporary care of injured or orphaned wildlife with the goal of subsequent release of the healthy animal back into the wild.

Permit requirements would be as follows:

1) All applicants must be at least 18 years old.

2) Anyone who has been convicted of a Class II or greater wildlife violation in Louisiana or the equivalent in another state in the past three years, or has been convicted of a felony shall not be eligible for a WRP.

3) All applicants must complete a WRP application, liability release and financial responsibility statement.

4) The applicant must achieve a minimum score of 80 percent on either the LDWF general wildlife rehabilitation rabies vector species examination. A passing score on the general wildlife rehabilitation exam is required before an individual and named subpermittees will be issued a WRP excluding rabies vector species, which include raccoons, foxes, coyotes, skunks and bats.

5) All applicants must attend and successfully complete a LDWF approved wildlife rehabilitation class prior to or within six months of receiving their WRP.

6) All applicants must provide verification of having access to veterinary services by submitting a statement of veterinary support form provided by LDWF.

7) All facilities where animals will be housed or maintained will be inspected by LDWF prior to receiving a WRP.

Some of the proposed WRP rules are listed below:

1) The WRP will not exempt the holder from regulations of other state, federal, parish or municipal governments or agencies.

2) The sale of any animal held under a WRP is prohibited.

3) No animal held under a WRP may be used for human consumption.

4) The WRP does not authorize the possession of whitetail deer, bears, wild turkeys, alligators or rabies vector species unless specifically stated on the permit.

5) WRP holders must ensure that animals are exposed to minimal handling and human contact.

6) Permits are non-transferable but may include up to five listed subpermittees.

7) LDWF provides no financial or material assistance to wildlife rehabilitators.

8) Animals held under a WRP shall not be released on public or private land without obtaining permission from the landowner.

Interested persons may submit public comment on this notice of intent to Carrie Salyers, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Wildlife Division, PO Box 98000, Baton Rouge, LA 70898-9000 by Dec. 3, 2009.