Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 76 - WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES › Part VII - Fish and Other Aquatic Life › Chapter 3 - Saltwater Sport and Commercial Fishery › Section VII-329 - Special Bait Dealer's Permit

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A.
				Policy. The special bait dealer's permit is intended solely for the benefit of
				the recreational fishing public which desires to use live shrimp and live
				croaker as bait during the closed shrimp seasons. Its purpose is to allow the
				uninterrupted operation of those commercial establishments which sell live bait
				shrimp and live croaker to the fishing public during the closed shrimp seasons.
				The permit is not intended for the direct use of recreational fishermen,
				charter boats, commercial fishermen who sell dead shrimp or croaker, or for any
				other entity which may wish to catch shrimp or croaker for their own use during
				the closed shrimp seasons.
B.
				Application
1. Applicants wishing to sell live
				shrimp or live croaker harvested from Louisiana waters during closed shrimp
				season must apply for a special bait dealer permit from the department for a
				fee of $110.00.
2. The special bait
				dealer's permit shall be valid for one year beginning January 1 and ending
				December 31 of that same calendar year. The permit may be purchased at any time
				during the year for the current permit year and beginning November 15 for the
				immediately following permit year.
3. Applications will be accepted only from
				the owner of an onshore business which sells or plans to sell live shrimp or
				live croaker to recreational fisherman.
4. Applicant shall be responsible for
				acquiring and possessing all proper licenses including the wholesale/retail
				seafood dealers license.
5. Any
				person convicted of any class three or greater wildlife or fisheries violation
				within the previous three years prior to the date of application shall not
				qualify to obtain a special bait dealer's permit or be onboard any vessel
				engaged in permitted activities.
6.
				Applicant must post a $1,000 cash bond before the permit is issued. This bond
				will be forfeited if the permittee, his employee, or his contractor violates
				any provision of the rules and regulations concerning the special bait dealer's
				permit or if the permittee, his employee, or his contractor violates any
				commercial fishing law or regulation while operating under the
				permit.
7. All new applications
				shall require an inspection by the department of their onshore facility and
				vessel prior to permit being issued. Subsequent inspections may be required at
				renewal. Inspection requirements shall verify applicant is operating a
				commercial establishment which sells live shrimp or live croakers to the
				fishing public for use as bait and shall include:
a. onshore facility able to maintain live
				shrimp or live croakers;
b. onshore
				facilities and vessel tanks must have provisions for aeration and/or
				circulation of the water in which live shrimp or live croakers are
				held;
c. onshore facility holding
				tanks must have a minimal combined capacity of 300 gallons. Tanks having less
				than 30 gallon capacity will not be included in combined on shore facility
				capacity;
d. vessel tanks must be
				carried on or built into the vessel and have a minimum of one compartment or
				tank with a minimum capacity of 30 gallons;
e. notice to the public must be posted that
				live bait is available.
8. Only the vessel and those commercial
				fishermen specified at the time of application shall operate under the permit.
				Amendments to vessel or commercial fishermen listed under the permit must be
				submitted to the department and approved before the new vessel or commercial
				fisherman can operate under the permit. The permit is not transferable to any
				other person or vessel. The entire original permit must be carried on the
				vessel while in operation.