DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part of the
legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute part of the law
or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 290 Original 2016 Regular Session Gisclair
Abstract: Changes the name of certain oyster harvest gear from "dredge" to "scraper" and alters the
allowable dimensions of a scraper used on the public seed grounds and natural reefs
Present law in several places refers to oyster "dredges". Proposed law changes the term to oyster
"scrapers".
Present law authorizes the use of dredges and scrapers no longer than six feet in width measured
along the tooth bar. Further provides that the teeth shall be no longer than five inches. Limits the
number of dredges that can be in use at any one time to seven.
Proposed law limits scrapers used to harvest oysters from the public seed grounds or the natural reefs
to 54 inches measured along the tooth bar with no one scraper weighing more than 175 pounds.
Prohibits the use of diving boards or hydrofoils on scrapers.
Proposed law retains the five-inch length limit from present law and requires a minimum of two and
one-half inch spacing measured from the center of the tooth to the center of the adjacent tooth with
each tooth no thicker than 11/16ths of an inch. Changes the number of scrapers that may be in use
at any one time from seven to two. Provides that oyster scraper bags can only be single mesh with
a minimum mesh size of three inches stretched.
(Amends R.S. 56:56(A)(5) and (7), 305(B)(3), 320(B)(3), 435(A) and (B), 435.1(A), 435.1.1(A)(2),
and 436(A))