Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 76 - WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES › Part VII - Fish and Other Aquatic Life › Chapter 3 - Saltwater Sport and Commercial Fishery › Section VII-355 - Harvest Regulations-Billfishes

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A. The Wildlife and Fisheries Commission does
				hereby adopt the following rules and regulations regarding the harvest of
				billfishes including marlins, roundscale spearfish, sailfish and swordfish
				within and without Louisiana's territorial waters. For purposes of this
				Section, the following words and phrases have the meaning ascribed to them in
				this subsection, unless the context clearly shows a different meaning.
Cleithrum to Caudal Keel (CK)
-measurement
				  along the curved body contour used if the head is removed/not naturally
				  attached from the point on the cleithrum that provides the shortest possible
				  measurement along the body contour to the anterior portion of the caudal keel.
				  The cleithrum is the semicircular bony structure at the posterior edge of the
				  gill opening.
Lower Jaw Fork Length (LJFL)
-straight-line
				  length from the tip of the lower jaw to the fork of the tail.
Trip
-a fishing trip, regardless of the
				  number of days duration, that begins with departure from a dock, berth, beach,
				  seawall or ramp and that terminates with return to a dock, berth, beach,
				  seawall or ramp.
B. Minimum
				Size Limits-no person shall possess any fish smaller than the minimum size
				limit.
Species
Minimum Size Limit
1. Blue Marlin
99 inches Lower Jaw Fork Length (LJFL)
2. White Marlin
66 inches Lower Jaw Fork Length (LJFL)
3. Roundscale Spearfish
66 inches Lower Jaw Fork Length (LJFL)
4. Sailfish
63 inches Lower Jaw Fork Length (LJFL)
5. Swordfish
47 inches Lower Jaw Fork Length (LJFL) or 25 inches
							 Cleithrum to Caudal Keel (CK).
C.
				Recreational Creel Limit. Recreational fishing vessels shall not possess more
				than one swordfish per person with a maximum of four swordfish per vessel per
				trip, whichever is less. Charter vessels may not possess more than one
				swordfish per paying passenger with a maximum of up to six per vessel per trip,
				whichever is less. Headboat vessels may not possess more than one swordfish per
				paying passenger with a maximum of up to fifteen per vessel per trip, whichever
				is less. Swordfish taken under a recreational bag limit shall not be sold,
				purchased, exchanged, bartered, or attempted to be sold, purchased, exchanged,
				or bartered.
D. Gamefish. Louisiana
				Revised Statutes Title 56
				§327(A)(1)(b)(i)
				designates sailfish (
Istiophorus platypterus
), blue marlin
				(
Makaira nigricans
), black marlin (
Makaira
				indica
), striped marlin (
Tetrapturus audax
), hatchet
				marlin (
Tetrapturus
spp.), and white marlin
				(
Tetrapturus albidus
) as saltwater gamefish. This rule does
				not affect the designation of gamefish status, which is retained by the
				legislature [R.S.
				56:6(25)(a)]. Vessels
				engaged in commercial fishing shall not possess any of these species.
E. Permits
1. Recreational
Tournament Operators
- a person conducting a
				  tournament involving scorekeeping or awards for Atlantic billfish (whether or
				  not retained), must register with the National Marine Fisheries
				  Service.
2.
				Commercial-Swordfish
a. The owner of a vessel
				of the United States or a vessel that fishes for or possesses swordfish, or
				takes swordfish as incidental catch, regardless of whether retained, must
				possess a valid commercial permit issued by the National Marine Fisheries
				Service under the Federal Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Swordfish. This
				permit must be aboard the vessel and available for inspection by agents of the
				Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Enforcement Division. The captain of the
				vessel is also responsible to ensure the validity and possession of the permit
				aboard the vessel before retaining, possessing, selling or attempting to sell
				swordfish.
b. A wholesale/retail
				dealer who first receives swordfish must have been issued a valid dealer permit
				under the Federal Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Swordfish. This dealer
				permit must be in possession of the wholesale/retail dealer and available for
				inspection by agents of the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Enforcement
				Division.