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.

2009-342 (November 12, 2009)
L.D.W.F. ISSUES ALERT FOR EXOTIC DEER IN DELHI AREA

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF), acting upon notification from the caretakers of High Delta Exotics in Richland Parish, has issued an alert for escaped exotic deer in the Delhi area.

Based on information provided to LDWF, as many as 14 Fallow deer and an unknown number of Sitka deer escaped through a breech in the site’s containment fence.

LDWF’s Wildlife Division is alerting the public out of concern that these non-native species could potentially transmit disease to the native white tailed deer population in the area. LDWF additionally is requesting the help of local hunters with harvesting these animals so they can be tested for disease.

The Sitka deer is east Asian in origin, usually has a darker toned hide than white tailed deer and only reaches a weight of approximately 100 pounds when fully mature. The bucks have small, elk-like antlers.

Fallow deer are Persian-European in origin and exhibit variations in hide coloration from white to spotted, similar to a white tailed fawn. The male Fallow’s antler formation is similar to a caribou.

Any licensed hunter with a big-game hunting permit may harvest Fallow and Sitka deer without limit in the area of Delhi, La. within legal shooing hours, 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. Hunters must then contact their regional Wildlife and Fisheries office as soon as possible so that biological samples can be obtained from the animals. Hunters will be allowed to keep the remainder of the carcasses, including the antlers.

Hunters are asked to keep the carcass of any harvested animal, including the head, refrigerated but not frozen, until contact is made with an LDWF biologist to collect a sample. The animals may be field dressed to prevent spoilage of the meat.

The Monroe regional LDWF office can be reached at 318-343-4044 to report a harvested exotic deer or for more information.

2009-341 (November 12, 2009)
GRASSY LAKE W.M.A. ROAD CLOSURE

The Cascas Road, also known as the Grand Lake Road, has been temporarily closed to automobile traffic on the Grassy Lake Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in Avoyelles Parish due to rising floodwaters from the Red River.

Grassy Lake WMA visitors may utilize an ATV to travel portions of the road that have not yet been impacted by floodwaters.

The road will be reopened to all vehicle traffic after the floodwaters recede. Floodwaters are monitored daily and additional closures may be needed prior to crest.

The Grassy Lake WMA hunting season will remain unchanged and current seasons will remain open, however some of the access may be restricted due to road closures.

Please contact the LDWF office in Opelousas with any questions at 337-948-0255.

2009-340 (November 10, 2009)
L.D.W.F. ANNOUNCES BRIDGE ACCESS CLOSED TO A MAJOR PORTION OF LOGGY BAYOU W.M.A.

The Poole Road bridge, the primary road access point to the Loggy Bayou Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in southeast Bossier Parish, has been closed indefinitely due to recent record rainfall that has caused the Flat River to rise and cover the bridge.

Bossier Parish officials have estimated that it will be a minimum of 30 days until the water will recede enough to allow a thorough bridge inspection. Therefore, the bridge will be closed indefinitely until it can be inspected and a determination made concerning the safety of the bridge.

Anyone planning to access Loggy Bayou should be aware that until the bridge is reopened, the only access into most of the WMA will be by boat.

2009-339 (November 10, 2009)
LOUISIANA OYSTER TASK FORCE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE OYSTER LEASE COMMITTEE TO MEET

The Louisiana Oyster Task Force Public and Private Oyster Lease Committee will meet at 1 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 12.

The meeting will take place at the University of New Orleans Advanced Technology Center located at 2021 Lakeshore Drive, Suite 210 in New Orleans.

2009-337 (November 6, 2009)
COMMISSION TAKES NO ACTION TO MODIFY REEF FISH RULES

The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission considered actions at their Nov. 2009 meeting to 1) receive and consider Resolution and Notice of Intent to Amend Rules for Harvest of Reef Fish: Grouper Recreational Seasons and Bag Limits, Grouper Commercial Seasons and Size Limits, Red Snapper/Reef Fish IFQ Modifications, 2) receive and consider Declaration of Emergency - Rules for Harvest of Reef Fish: Grouper Recreational Seasons and Bag Limits, Grouper Commercial Seasons and Size Limit, and 3), receive and consider Declaration of Emergency - Closure of the Recreational Fishery for Greater Amberjack in Louisiana Waters.

The commission rejected all three proposals. This means that existing rules for harvest of reef fish will remain in effect in Louisiana waters. However, federal rules for recreational and commercial harvest will be in effect in waters of the EEZ, generally more than 3 miles offshore of Louisiana.

Regulations for the greater amberjack fishery in the Gulf of Mexico include a quota for the recreational fishery. Based on an analysis to project 2009 greater amberjack recreational landings, NMFS closed the recreational greater amberjack fishery in Federal waters off Louisiana at 12:01 a.m. on Oct. 24, 2009. The Regional Administrator requested that the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries enact similar action for Louisiana waters to enhance effectiveness and enforceability of regulations, and to ensure that the recreational greater amberjack quota is not exceeded during the 2009 fishing year.

The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission considered the request of NOAA Fisheries to close the recreational fishery for greater amberjack at their November, 2009 meeting, and voted not to enact a closure for Louisiana State waters. The closure in effect in the EEZ remains in effect.

The commission also voted not to modify state rule on harvest of grouper and tilefish to provide compatible size, creel, and season limits, and provisions dealing with Individual Fishing Quotas for those species.

This also means that violators intercepted by enforcement will be charged federally.

2009-332 (November 4, 2009)
L.D.W.F. CALLED IN FOR SEARCH AND RESCUE MISSIONS OVER WEEKEND

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Enforcement Division agents responded to several search and rescue missions over this past weekend in northern and western Louisiana due to high waters caused by severe rainfall.

Agents from the Region 1 Shreveport office rescued a total of 18 people between Friday, Oct. 30 and Sunday, Nov. 1. The majority of the rescues took place in the Barron Road area of Keithville including a man who was heard by agents yelling for help. Sgt. Troy Parker and Agent Joey Melton found the man clinging to a tree after he tried to ride his bike through floodwaters and was swept downstream. The agents were able to safely return the man to high ground without injury.

Agents from the Shreveport office also rescued an elderly cancer patient from his mobile home that was flooded in the Detiny Lane area of Desoto Parish. Agents swept other flooded areas in the neighborhood in flatbottom boats making contact with about 125 people to determine evacuation needs. Agents will remain on standby in this area until it is certain the Red Chute Bayou levee will hold. If the levee breaches, residents would have 5 to 6 hours before flooding would threaten any homes.

Agents in the Region 3 Vernon Parish area responded to three search and rescue missions over the weekend along the Sabine River. They were able to pull one man to safety after he was stranded on the top of his truck while attempting to drive through high water. Agents in this area also rescued an adult and juvenile hunter who had camped in the Sabine River bottom and found themselves surrounded by rapidly rising floodwaters.

In the Beauregard Parish area, agents from Region 5 were dispatched to rescue four people stuck on top of a truck surrounded by the rising waters of the Sabine River. The Beauregard Parish Sheriff's Office deputies on scene were able to borrow a flatbottom boat and rescue the people before the agents arrived.

"We are no strangers to these types of search and rescue missions," said LDWF Enforcement Division's Lt. Col. Keith LaCaze. "Wildlife enforcement agents receive swift water and first aid training and also have the trucks and boats to get into and out of most flooding situations. All agents will remain on standby until the water recedes and people are no longer in harm's way."

2009-331 (November 4, 2009)
COMMERCIAL FISHERY FOR GREATER AMBERJACK IN LOUISIANA WATERS TO CLOSE
12:01 A.M., LOCAL TIME, NOV. 7, 2009 UNTIL JAN. 1, 2010

The commercial fishery for greater amberjack in Louisiana waters will close at 12:01 a.m. on Nov. 7, 2009 and will remain closed until Jan. 1, 2010.

The decision was made by Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Secretary Robert Barham, following notification by NOAA Fisheries that the federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico will close for the commercial harvest of greater amberjack from 12:01 a.m., Nov 7 until 12:01 a.m., Jan 1, 2010, and per a request from NOAA Fisheries.

Regulations for the greater amberjack fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico include a commercial quota. Based on reported landings, NOAA Fisheries will close the greater amberjack commercial fishery in federal waters off Louisiana at 12:01 a.m. on Nov. 7, 2009, and requested that LDWF enact compatible rules. NOAA Fisheries requested consistent regulations for Louisiana waters to enhance effectiveness and enforceability of regulations.

Secretary Barham was authorized by the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission at their January, 2009 meeting to take this action to provide consistent regulations between state and adjacent federal waters, and noted that the season closure is necessary to prevent overfishing of the species assemblage.

The commission also authorized LDWF Secretary Barham to change or modify opening and closing dates for commercial reef fish seasons in Louisiana waters to comply with changes or modifications in season dates in federal waters. The commission's actions ensure that regulations in state waters will mirror regulations of NMFS for federally managed waters.

After the closure, all commercial harvest, possession, purchase, barter, trade, sale or attempts to purchase, barter, trade or sell greater amberjack is prohibited until 12:01 a.m., Jan. 1, 2010, the date set for the opening of the 2010 season. The prohibition on sale/purchase of tilefishes during the closure does not apply to those that were harvested, landed ashore and sold prior to the effective date of the closure and were held in cold storage by a dealer or processor provided appropriate records in accordance with R.S. 56:306.5 and 56:306.6 are properly maintained.

2009-328 (November 3, 2009)
2008 LOUISIANA RECREATIONAL FISHERMAN AND HEALTH ADVISORY SURVEY REPORT

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Socioeconomic Research Development Section (SRD) has posted a new research publication titled “2008 Louisiana Recreational Fisherman and Health Advisory Survey Report” on the LDWF Web site.

The research project was funded by the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) and was completed in June, 2009. A copy of the report can be down loaded from the LDWF Web site at http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/education/economics/.

The study was designed to measure Louisiana recreational fishermen’s awareness of fish consumption advisories or warnings and determine how effective the advisories have been in influencing their fishing and consumption patterns.

Fish consumption advisories are issued by DHH in collaboration with the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) and LDWF. These advisories are issued for certain water bodies and fish species when there are concerns over the potential health risks associated with the consumption of seafood that contains toxic materials including mercury and organic pollutants.

Results showed that approximately three-fifths of recreational fishermen (58 percent) were aware of the health/fish consumption advisories. Newspapers (or magazines) and television topped the list of the ways by which fishermen became aware of the advisories. Recreational fishermen who responded to the survey reported that they consumed fish an average of about four times per month.

Approximately three-fourths of respondents who answered the questions on the effects of fish consumption warnings on their fishing activities reported they did not change their fishing activities as a result of the warnings. Only three out of 10 respondents reported they changed their fish eating habits as a result of the fish consumption warnings.

Contact David Lavergne at 225-765-2864 or Ebenezer Ogunyinka at 225-763-3957 for more information.

2009-327 (November 3, 2009)
FORMER L.D.W.F. SECRETARY RECEIVES 2009 ARTHUR VAN PELT AWARD

The Louisiana Outdoor Writer's Association (LOWA) honored former Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Secretary Joe Herring with the 2009 Arthur Van Pelt Award at the association’s annual awards banquet in Lake Charles on Oct. 17.

Annually, the Van Pelt Award, LOWA's most prestigious award, is given to an individual who has had a lifelong record of achievement and dedication to conservation.

Herring’s past credits include terms as LDWF Secretary, LOWA President, Louisiana Wildlife Federation President, Kiwanis Club President, Louisiana Wildlife Biologist Association President, Louisiana Chapter of the Wildlife Society President, founder and board member of Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Foundation, and Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Vice President.

Herring is currently on the East Ascension Sportsman's League Board of Directors, Boone & Crockett Club official big-game trophy measurer (since 1960) and a Pope and Young official big game trophy measurer.

Some of Herring’s previous awards include: Louisiana Wildlife Federation Governor's Award for Conservationist of the Year; Louisiana Wildlife Federation Professional Conservationist of the Year; Louisiana Wildlife Federation Conservation Educator of the Year; LOWA Conservationist of the Year; SEA Fish & Wildlife Agencies Clarence W. Watson Award; SEA Fish & Wildlife Agencies Special Recognition Award; KALB-TV Special Recognition Award; National Champion Team award for small-bore rifles; Acadiana Sportsmen League Sportsman Emeritus Award; and LOWA’s Charles “Chuck” Buckley Award.

Herring joins a long list of lifetime achievers in winning this prestigious award. To see that list and read the Arthur Van Pelt story, log on to laoutdoorwriters.com and click on the Van Pelt link from the LOWA tab at the top of the screen.