RÉSUMÉ DIGEST
ACT 291 (HB 636) 2016 Regular Session Leopold
Existing law requires possession of an oyster seed ground vessel permit for any vessel
carrying or harvesting oysters from a public natural reef or oyster seed ground.
Prior law provided that the fee for such permit would be $15 for La. residents and $60 for
nonresidents. Allowed application for the vessel permit up to Dec. 31, 2012, but prohibited
any applications thereafter. Repealed the requirement for the permit beginning Nov. 15,
2016.
New law increases the fees for the permits for a single scraper vessel to $250 for a resident
and $1,000 for a nonresident, and for a double scraper vessel, sets fees of $500 for a resident
and $2,000 for a nonresident. Dedicates all the fees derived from sale of the permits to the
Public Oyster Seed Ground Development Account.
Notwithstanding the date limitation contained in prior law, new law authorizes a person who
owns an oyster vessel and who has satisfactorily completed the requirements of a
professionalism program to submit an application for a seed ground vessel permit. Requires
the Wildlife and Fisheries Commission to develop, establish, and monitor a professionalism
program to train vessel owners in appropriate methods and practices of oyster harvest from
the public seed grounds.
New law eliminates the Nov. 15, 2016, repeal of the requirement for the oyster seed ground
vessel permit.
Effective August 1, 2016.
(Amends R.S. 56:433.1(A)(1) and (2); Adds R.S. 56:433.1(B)(4); Repeals R.S. 56:433.1(E))