SLS 20RS-431 ORIGINAL
2020 Regular Session
SENATE BILL NO. 159
BY SENATOR SMITH
FISH/FISHING. Provides for possession limits of red drum taken by means of bow and
arrow. (8/1/20)
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 56:325.1(A)(5), relative to fishing; to provide for fishing by bow and arrow;
3 to provide for possession limits, quotas, and daily take limits for red drum taken by
4 bow and arrow; and to provide for related matters.
5 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
6 Section 1. R.S. 56:325.1(A)(5) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
7 ยง325.1. Size and possession limits, recreational saltwater finfish; penalties
8 A.
9 * * *
10 (5) Any red drum, regardless of the actual size, taken by bow and arrow
11 shall be retained and count toward any possession limit, quota, or daily take
12 limit provided for in this Section or by the rules and regulations promulgated
13 pursuant to this Section. Any red drum taken by bow and arrow that measures
14 either two inches below the minimum size or two inches above the maximum
15 size, shall also be retained and count as a second fish toward any such
16 possession limit, quota, or daily take limit.
Page 1 of 2
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 159
SLS 20RS-431 ORIGINAL
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Tyler S. McCloud.
DIGEST
SB 159 Original 2020 Regular Session Smith
Present law authorizes the La. Wildlife and Fisheries commission to set possession limits,
quotas, places, seasons, times, size limits, and daily take limits for saltwater finfish caught
recreationally.
Present law provides that the daily take and possession limits for red drum is five fish daily
until such time as the commission establishes daily take and possession limits in accordance
with the Administrative Procedure Act.
Present law authorizes exceptions for recreational fisherman to possess red drum above the
possession limit as follows:
(1)A fisherman can possess twice the daily bag limit of red drum, but not while fishing
or while on the water, unless such recreational saltwater fisherman is aboard a
trawler engaged in commercial fishing for a consecutive period longer than 25 hours.
(2)A fisherman who can demonstrate to the department's satisfaction use of a boat
launch located south of U.S. Highway 90 and that the fisherman has been actively
on the water or at a remote camp that can be accessed only by water for two days or
more can possess up to the possession limit of filleted red drum. The fish may be
filleted if certain requirements are met. This exception does not apply while actively
fishing or engaged in fishing.
(3)The possession limit for red drum and spotted sea trout taken south of U.S. Highway
90 shall be three times the daily take limit when the fisherman can show a landing
receipt from a public boat launch located south of U.S. Highway 90 that
demonstrates to the satisfaction of the department that the fisherman has been
actively on the water or at a remote camp that can be accessed only by water for two
days or more. Present law provides for requirements on how the fish are package
while in possession. This exception does not apply while actively fishing or engaged
in fishing.
Proposed law provides that any red drum, regardless of the actual size, taken by bow and
arrow shall be retained and count toward any possession limit, quota, or daily take limit
provided for in this Section or by the rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to present
law. Proposed law further provides any red drum taken by bow and arrow that measures
either two inches below the minimum size or two inches above the maximum size, shall also
be retained and count as a second fish toward any such possession limit, quota, or daily take
limit.
Effective August 1, 2020.
(Adds R.S. 56:325.1(A)(5))
Page 2 of 2
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.