SLS 22RS-558 ORIGINAL
2022 Regular Session
SENATE BILL NO. 270
BY SENATOR WOMACK
FISH/FISHING. Provides relative to retaining and removing invasive species of fish. (gov
sig)
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 56:329(B)(1), relative to fish and other aquatic life; to provide
3 with respect to sport and commercial fishing; to provide relative to obstruction of
4 streams or lakes; to provide for an effective date; and to provide for related matters.
5 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
6 Section 1. R.S. 56:329(B)(1) is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:
7 ยง329. Obstruction of streams or lakes by fyke nets or other devices
8 * * *
9 B.(1) Except as provided in Paragraph (2) of this Subsection, no obstructions
10 including trawls, skimmer nets, butterfly nets, fyke nets, wings or leads, seines, gill
11 nets, or trammel nets which interfere with the free passageway for fish as defined
12 herein shall be set within five hundred feet of the mouth of any inlet or pass, or
13 within five hundred feet of any water control structures, dams, or weirs, except for
14 the purpose of retaining and removing invasive species of fish and other
15 non-game fish of commercial value. When fishing for the purpose of retaining
16 and removing invasive species of fish and other non-game fish of commercial
17 value, nets are restricted to a mesh size no smaller than four inches. Wings and
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. 270
SLS 22RS-558 ORIGINAL
1 leads are permitted on hoop nets in overflowed regions where the water is out of the
2 actual bed of the natural stream or lake but not within the restricted five hundred feet
3 area.
4 * * *
5 Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
6 signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
7 by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
8 vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
9 effective on the day following such approval.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Angela L. De Jean.
DIGEST
SB 270 Original 2022 Regular Session Womack
Present law provides that except as provided in present law, no obstructions including trawls,
skimmer nets, butterfly nets, fyke nets, wings or leads, seines, gill nets, or trammel nets
which interfere with the free passageway for fish as defined in present law shall be set within
500 feet of the mouth of any inlet or pass, or within 500 feet of any water control structures,
dams, or weirs.
Proposed law, retains present law and creates an exception for the purpose of retaining and
removing invasive species of fish and other non-game fish of commercial value.
Proposed law provides that when fishing for the purpose of retaining and removing invasive
species of fish and other non-game fish of commercial value, nets are restricted to a mesh
size no smaller than four inches.
Present law provides that wings and leads are permitted on hoop nets in overflowed regions
where the water is out of the actual bed of the natural stream or lake but not within the
restricted 500 feet area. Proposed law retains present law.
Effective upon signature of the governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Amends R.S. 56:329(B)(1))
Page 2 of 2
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.