ENROLLED
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ACT No. 979
Regular Session, 2010
HOUSE BILL NO. 545
BY REPRESENTATIVES BALDONE, ARNOLD, BILLIOT, CONNICK, DOVE,
GISCLAIR, GUINN, HARDY, HARRISON, HENDERSON, HUTTER, JOHNSON,
SAM JONES, LOPINTO, RICHARD, RICHMOND, SIMON, ST. GERMAIN,
WILLIAMS, AND WOOTON
AN ACT1
To amend and reenact R.S. 56:325.3(A)(1), and to suspend R.S. 56:428(C) until sixty days2
after the end of the 2011 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature, relative to3
commercial fishing, to provide relative to commercial taking of spotted sea trout; to4
provide that the open season for such taking shall close each year when the5
maximum annual quota is reached; to temporarily suspend the requirement for oyster6
lease rental payments; to prohibit the commercial taking of spotted sea trout in7
certain waters; and to provide for related matters.8
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:9
Section 1. R.S. 56:325.3(A)(1) is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:10
ยง325.3. Spotted sea trout commercial taking; annual quota; red drum commercial11
taking, possession, or landing prohibited12
A.(1) The commission shall establish a maximum annual quota for the13
commercial harvest of spotted sea trout taken within Louisiana waters or landed in14
Louisiana which shall not exceed one million pounds nor shall it be less than five15
hundred thousand pounds. The commercial taking or harvesting of spotted sea trout16
shall be prohibited within Louisiana waters west of Mermentau River. The17
Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission shall establish an open season for the18
commercial harvest of spotted sea trout which shall run from the second day of19
January through the last day of July each year or until the maximum annual quota is20
reached, whichever comes first. The commercial harvest or taking of spotted sea21
trout is prohibited during the period from sunset on Friday through sunrise on22 ENROLLEDHB NO. 545
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Monday, and there shall be no possession of spotted sea trout in excess of the1
recreational limit during the period between 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. However,2
when not on a commercial fishing trip, a person holding a permit for the commercial3
taking or possessing of spotted sea trout may take or possess an amount not to4
exceed the legal recreational limit of spotted sea trout between the hours of 10:005
p.m. and 5:00 a.m. during the open season and at any time during the closed season6
if that person also possesses a basic recreational fishing license and a saltwater7
fishing license. Only a rod and reel shall be used for the commercial harvest of8
spotted sea trout. The provisions of this Section are subject to quotas and size limits9
as established by law and rules and regulations of the commission. Fish taken under10
recreational licenses shall not be sold, bartered, traded, or exchanged.11
* * *12
Section 2. The provisions of R.S. 56:428(C) which require payment of oyster lease13
rentals by December 31 of each year of the lease are hereby suspended until sixty days after14
the end of the 2011 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature.15
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATI VES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED: