ENROLLED
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Regular Session, 2010
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 75
BY REPRESENTATIVE BILLIOT
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON
To urge and request the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission to adopt slot limits
on bass in Lake Cataouatche and certain areas of the Salvador Wildlife Management
Area.
WHEREAS, the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission, in Article XII of the
Louisiana Constitution, is charged with "The control and supervision of the wildlife of the
state, including all aquatic life . . ." by which they are given the responsibility of managing
and protecting the wildlife and fishes and the habitat in which they live; and
WHEREAS, management of a fishery involves many different approaches, including
stocking of fingerlings when necessary, limiting the number of fish which can be caught at
any one time, instituting size limits or slot limits, adopting seasons, and a variety of other
methods; and
WHEREAS, the construction of the Davis Pond Freshwater Diversion Project has
had a dramatic impact on habitat in Lake Cataouatche and the surrounding areas, including
the waterways in the Salvador Wildlife Management Area, and the impact has largely
resulted in a positive impact on the fishing successes in that area; and
WHEREAS, in addition to the impact from the freshwater diversion, there has been
an intentional introduction of Florida bass into the watershed with the result that the entire
area has been transformed into a unique and "trophy" area for fishing with people coming
from far and wide to fish; and
WHEREAS, protection of this unique area through management of the resource and
habitat is imperative, partially because of the influx of fishermen who spend money in the
surrounding towns and parishes and generally contribute to the health of the local economy;
and ENROLLEDHCR NO. 75
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WHEREAS, many other major fishing areas in the state enjoy management regimes
that include size, slot, and creel limits; and
WHEREAS, the area around Lake Cataouatche currently has a creel limit of ten bass
with no size limits; and
WHEREAS, it has been suggested that a creel limit of ten bass in conjunction with
a slot limit of sixteen to twenty-one inches and a restriction to keep no more than one fish
over the twenty-one inches would be a prudent management regime to apply to Lake
Cataouatche and particularly those areas of the Salvador Wildlife Management Area such
as the "tank ponds" and the "Netherlands".
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
urge and request the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission to adopt management
regimes for bass in Lake Cataouatche and certain areas of the Salvador Wildlife
Management Area, including a creel limit of ten bass in conjunction with a slot limit of
sixteen to twenty-one inches and a restriction to keep no more than one fish over the twenty-
one inches.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries
Commission consider this issue at their regularly scheduled meeting in May.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be forwarded to the
chairman of the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATI VES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE