The next dates have been set for the upcoming oyster season:
- The Calcasieu Lake Public Oyster Space will open solely for sacking of market dimension oysters: the West Cove shall open one-half hour earlier than dawn on Saturday, October 15, 2022, and East Cove shall open one-half hour earlier than dawn on Sunday, January 1, 2023.
- The Hackberry Bay, Lake Mechant and Bay Junop Public Oyster Seed Reservation and Vermilion/East and West Cote Blanche Bay/Atchafalaya Bay Public Oyster Seed Grounds will open for bedding functions solely one half-hour earlier than dawn on Monday, October 17, 2022, and can shut one half-hour after sundown that very same day.
- The Hackberry Bay, Lake Mechant, Bay Gardene and Bay Junop Public Oyster Seed Reservation, Vermilion/East, West Cote Blanche Bay/Atchafalaya Bay Public Oyster Seed Grounds, together with all areas east of Mississippi River, Louisiana Division of Well being (LDH) Shellfish Harvest Areas 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 will open for sacking of market dimension oysters solelyone half-hour earlier than dawn on Tuesday, October 18, 2022 and shall shut at one-half hour after sundown on April 1, 2023 (or if organic information signifies that harvest ranges have been met).
The Louisiana Division of Well being might periodically shut areas for public well being considerations. Test LDH’s web site or name 800.256.2775 for extra data.
Throughout the 2022-23 oyster season, the next provisions might be in impact:
- Each vessel harvesting oysters from the Public Oyster Areas for market shall report harvest data to the LDWF earlier than 9 pm every day fished. Vessels shall present the next data: Captain’s identify, oyster harvester quantity, boat quantity, the full variety of sacks harvested that day, and the general public oyster space fished. Name 1-800-442-2511 or [email protected] to submit harvest experiences. This reporting doesn’t substitute for journey ticket reporting.
- Any vessel from which any particular person(s) takes or makes an attempt to take oysters from the general public oyster seed grounds and reservations described above shall be restricted to a every day restrict to not exceed 30 sacks of oysters per vessel, aside from Calcasieu Lake. The every day limits for Calcasieu Lake shall not exceed 15 sacks of oysters per vessel per day in combination between West Cove and the East Aspect, with not more than 5 sacks coming from the East Aspect per day. The possession restrict shall be twice the every day restrict. A sack of oysters for the needs of this Declaration of Emergency shall be outlined as the scale described in R.S. 56:440. If sacks smaller than the scale described in R.S. 56:440 are used, the every day harvest and possession restrict shall be based mostly on the variety of sacks used, not the scale of the sack or different measures. The every day take and possession restrict shall not apply to vessels harvesting seed oysters for bedding functions. The possession restrict shall not apply to vessels working underneath a sound Oyster Cargo Vessel Allow, and these vessels shall not harvest oysters.
- All vessels harvesting on the open public oyster seed grounds on Monday, October 17, 2022 shall be harvesting seed oysters for bedding functions solely and shall not have sacks or different containers usually used to carry oysters on board the harvest vessel, aside from Calcasieu Lake.
- A vessel is restricted to both harvesting market oysters for direct sale (sacking) or harvesting seed oysters for bedding functions on any someday and is particularly prohibited from doing each.
- If any particular person on a vessel takes or makes an attempt to take oysters from the general public oyster areas, seed grounds or reservations described above, all oysters contained on that vessel might be deemed to have been taken from stated seed floor or reservation from the time harvest begins till all oysters are off-loaded dockside.
- The harvest of seed oysters from a public oyster seed floor or reservation is for the aim of transferring the reside oyster useful resource. The elimination of greater than 15 % of non-living reef materials in bedding masses is prohibited. All vessels should enable on-board inspection and sampling of seed oyster masses by LDWF biologists and/or brokers.
- All oysters harvested from public areas, seed grounds or reservations for the aim of market have to be uncontaminated, sealed, and never gaping.
- All oysters harvested from public areas, seed grounds or reservations for the aim of market gross sales should measure a minimal of three inches from hinge to invoice.
- Market oysters harvested from any public oyster space (together with Calcasieu Lake), seed floor or reservation have to be sacked, the variety of sacks recorded in a log ebook, and every sack correctly tagged previous to leaving stated public oyster space, seed floor, or reservation, except for bedding vessels.
- All vessels positioned in public oyster areas, seed grounds or reservations throughout these occasions between one-half hour after sundown and one-half hour earlier than dawn should have all oyster scrapers unshackled.
- The usage of oyster scrapers is prohibited in Calcasieu Lake. Oyster harvesting shall be restricted to utilizing hand tongs on vessels harvesting oysters, or collected by hand. Oyster tongs shall be made as a greedy machine consisting of two items joined by a pivot or hinged like scissors used for selecting up objects.
The next areas will stay closed for your entire 2022-23 oyster season:
- The Sister Lake Public Oyster Seed Reservations Public Oyster Seed Floor as described in R.S. 56:434.
- The 2022 Drum Bay Cultch Plant with the next coordinates:
North Plant
29° 53′ 24.837″, -89° 17′ 08.500″
29° 53′ 50.990″, -89° 16′ 30.541″
29° 54′ 12.658″, -89° 16′ 43.889″
29° 53′ 55.360″, -89° 17′ 30.601″
South Plant
29° 52′ 32.400″, -89° 19′ 18.340″
29° 52′ 36.238″, -89° 18′ 40.818″
29° 53′ 07.579″, -89° 19′ 36.541″
29° 53′ 18.409″, -89° 19′ 07.703″
- Lake Tambour, Lake Chien, Lake Felicity, Deep Lake and Barataria Bay Public Oyster Seed Grounds as described in LAC 76:VII:517.
- The Little Lake Public Oyster Seed Grounds as described in LAC 76:VII.521.
- Oyster harvest on the Sabine Lake Public Oyster Space is prohibited as described in R.S. 56:435.1.
- The Calcasieu Lake synthetic reef with the next coordinates:
29° 53’ 16.5” N, 93o 16’ 56.9” W
29° 53’ 16.4” N, 93o 16’ 34.8” W
29° 52’ 57.2” N, 93o 16’ 34.7” W
29° 52’ 57.2” N, 93o 16’ 56.8” W
The Secretary of the Division was approved by the Fee to set closure dates and modify sack limits and/or sacking-only areas based mostly on organic harvest information or if enforcement points are encountered. The Secretary can also be approved to take emergency motion to shut, or reopen areas beforehand closed if the risk to the useful resource has ended and to open public areas if substantial oyster sources are positioned.
Public discover of any opening, delay or closing of a season might be supplied not less than 72 hours previous to such motion, until such closure is ordered by the Louisiana Division of Well being for public considerations.
| Public Oyster Space | Season Opening (One-half hour earlier than dawn) | Season Closing (one-half hour after sundown) Open areas might periodically be closed by LDH for public well being considerations. |
|---|---|---|
| East of MS River, North of MRGO (Sacking Solely) | Opens October 18, 2022 (Closes April 1, 2023) |
30 sacks/vessel/day * (take and possession) |
| East of MS River, South of MRGO (Sacking Solely) | Opens October 18, 2022 (Closes April 1, 2023) |
30 sacks/vessel/day* (take and possession) |
| Hackberry Bay, Lake Mechant and Bay Junop Public Oyster Seed Reservation, Vermilion/East and West Cote Blanche Bay/Atchafalaya Bay Public Oyster Seed Grounds – Bedding solely | Opens October 17, 2022 (Sooner or later solely) |
Not more than 15% of non-living materials allowed in bedding masses. |
| Hackberry Bay, Lake Mechant, Bay Gardene and Bay Junop Public Oyster Seed Reservation, Vermilion/East and West Cote Blanche Bay/Atchafalaya Bay Public Oyster Seed Grounds- Sacking solely | Opens October 18, 2022 (Closes April 1, 2023) |
30 sacks/vessel/day* |
| Sister Lake, Lake Tambour, Lake Chien, Lake Felicity, Deep Lake, Barataria, Little Lake | No Season | No Season |
| Calcasieu Lake (West Cove) |
Opens October 15, 2022 | 15 sacks/vessel/day (take and possession) ** |
| Calcasieu Lake (East facet) |
Opens January 1, 2023 | 5 sacks/vessel/day (take and possession)** |
| * The possession restrict shall be twice the every day restrict. **Not more than 15 sacks of oysters per vessel per day for your entire Calcasieu Lake. No scrapers: Tong or hand solely |
||
For 2022-2023 oyster season maps, click on right here.
For extra data, contact Carolina Bourque at [email protected] or 337-735-8726.
