The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) has flagged the likelihood of an impending closure to the Red Snapper fishing season. Following a report released yesterday, only a thin slice of this year's recreational allocation—less than 7 percent—remains for anglers. The exact weight landed so far has hit the scales at 839,291 pounds.
Anglers are urged to take advantage of the remaining allocation while they can. With weekly estimates flowing in through the LDWF's LA Creel program, a closure notice could be served as early as the second week of October. According to the LA Creel statistics, the season could fold up its net quick considering how rapidly the 894,955-pound quota has been filling.
Since May 1, recreational fishing has been open seven days a week in both state and federal waters with a set daily bag limit. Anglers are permitted to keep up to four Red Snappers daily, each fish required to measure at least 16 inches. The season will end its run once Louisiana's allocated cap is reached or surpassed.
Fishing regulations require both resident and non-resident anglers to hold a valid Louisiana basic and Saltwater Recreational Fishing Licenses and a no-fee Recreational Offshore Landing Permit (ROLP). Without these, the fish for Red Snapper or possessing it, is off tables. The ROLP, according to details from the LDWF, can be nabbed digitally and kept as an electronic copy or printed out from the ROLP website, even shown on the LA Wallet app.
As for charter vessels, state for-hire captains, sticking to the less than 9 nautical miles limit from shore, must adhere to the same ROLP requirements. Those with federal charter permits will have to follow the federal season, which allows them to fish from June 1 through September 16. However, with the right licenses, they might just dabble in both federal and state waters, as long as the seasons coincide.
