HLS 21RS-947 ORIGINAL
2021 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO.644
BY REPRESENTATIVE BROWN
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
WILDLIFE & FISHERIES: Establishes the Wild Caught Crawfish Advisory Council
1 AN ACT
2To enact R.S. 56:330.1, relative to the Wild Caught Crawfish Advisory Council; to create
3 the Wild Caught Crawfish Advisory Council; to provide for membership; to provide
4 for compensation; to provide for bylaws and officers; to establish duties of the
5 council; and to provide for related matters.
6Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7 Section 1. R.S. 56:330.1 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
8 ยง330.1 Wild Caught Crawfish Advisory Council
9 A. The Wild Caught Crawfish Advisory Council is hereby created within the
10 Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to advise the department, the Wildlife and
11 Fisheries Commission, the state legislature, and the governor on matters pertaining
12 to the sustainability, management, and development of the wild crawfish population
13 and industry in Louisiana.
14 B. The advisory council shall be composed of eighteen voting and nonvoting
15 members as follows:
16 (1) The governor or the governor's designee.
17 (2) One inland fisheries biologist appointed by the secretary from the
18 Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.
19 (3) One enforcement agent appointed by the secretary from the Department
20 of Wildlife and Fisheries.
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1 (4) One member with expertise in scientific or economic research regarding
2 crawfish appointed by the secretary from the LSU Agricultural Center program.
3 (5) One crawfish research scientist appointed by the secretary from a
4 university in Louisiana.
5 (6) One memberappointed by the Department of Natural Resources coastal
6 management division.
7 (7) One member appointed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers.
8 (8) Four commercial wild crawfish dealers or processors appointed by the
9 secretary from a list of recommendations made by senators from those Senate
10 districts that encompass and abut the Atchafalaya Basin. Each such member shall
11 hold a current commercial wholesale-retail dealer license or seafood processor
12 license from the Department of Health.
13 (9) Five commercial wild crawfish fishermen appointed by the secretary
14 from a list of recommendations made by made by senators from those Senate
15 districts that encompass and abut the Atchafalaya Basin. Each such member shall
16 hold a current commercial fisherman license.
17 (10) Two wild crawfish fishermen, dealers, or processors selected and
18 appointed by the secretary shall serve as at-large members. Each such member shall
19 hold a current commercial wholesale-retail dealer license or seafood processor
20 license from the Department of Health, or a commercial fisherman license.
21 C. The members provided for in Paragraphs (B)(1) through (7) of this
22 Section shall be nonvoting members who shall not be counted for the purposes of
23 establishing a quorum. The members provided for in Paragraphs (B)(8) through (10)
24 of this Section shall be voting members who shall be counted for the purpose of
25 establishing of a quorum. Six voting members of the advisory council shall
26 constitute a quorum sufficient to conduct meetings.
27 D. Voting members shall serve terms of three years and shall serve no more
28 than three consecutive terms. A vacancy created, whether by death, resignation,
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1 expiration of term, or any other cause, shall be filled in the same manner as provided
2 in Subsection B of this Section.
3 E. Members of the advisory council shall serve without compensation.
4 However, expenses actually incurred by members under the authorization of the
5 council and in the performance of council duties may be reimbursed in accordance
6 with state law.
7 F. At its first meeting, the advisory council shall adopt bylaws under which
8 it will conduct meetings and carry out its responsibilities. The secretary shall
9 appoint a member to serve as chairman of the council for one year. Thereafter, the
10 advisory council shall elect a chairman from its membership.
11 G. The advisory council is hereby charged with the following duties:
12 (1) To make recommendations with respect to policy issues affecting the
13 wild crawfish industry to those entities with an interest in or jurisdiction over the
14 industry, including but not limited to, the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, the
15 Wildlife and Fisheries Commission, the state legislature, and the governor.
16 (2) To develop strategies for the development and expansion of markets for
17 wild crawfish harvested from Louisiana waters.
18 (3) To represent the interests of the Louisiana wild crawfish industry before
19 federal and state administrative and legislative bodies on issues of importance to the
20 Louisiana wild crawfish industry.
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 644 Original 2021 Regular Session Brown
Abstract: Creates the Wild Caught Crawfish Advisory Council within the Dept. of Wildlife
and Fisheries to make policy recommendations, develop market strategies and
represent the interests of the industry.
Proposed law creates the Wild Caught Crawfish Advisory Council within Dept. of Wildlife
and Fisheries (LDWF) and establishes its membership, including provisions for voting rights
of members, establishing a quorum, terms of service, compensation and bylaws.
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Proposed law provides for nonvoting members to be appointed from the following agencies,
institutions, and professions:
(1)The governor or the governor's designee.
(2)An inland fisheries biologist from the LDWF.
(3)An enforcement agent from the LDWF.
(4)An expert in scientific or economic research regarding crawfish from the LSU.
(5)Agricultural Center program.
(6)A crawfish research scientist from a Louisiana university.
(7)Dept. of Natural Resources coastal management division.
(8)United States Army Corps of Engineers.
Proposed law provides for voting members to be appointed as follows:
(1)Four commercial wild crawfish dealers or processors from Atchafalaya Basin area.
(2)Five commercial wild crawfish fishermen from the the Atchafalaya Basin area.
(3)Two wild crawfish fishermen, dealers, or processors to serve as at-large members.
Proposed law establishes the duties of the council to make policy recommendations, develop
market strategies, and represent the interests of the wild caught crawfish industry.
(Adds R.S. 56:330.1)
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