In a significant regulatory change, the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission (LWFC) has amended the Notice of Intent (NOI) tied to the Special Bait Dealer’s Permit, setting new boundaries for where bait can be peddled off boats near Louisiana’s shores. The updated regulation now prohibits these vessels from hawking their live bait within three-quarters of a mile of any land-based facility, unless there is an existing agreement between the facility and the bait-selling vessel, as per the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.
For those looking to voice their opinions, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) has invited public comment up until December 21, Robert Bourgeois, the LDWF Fisheries Permit Manager, is the point of contact, reachable either through mail at P.O. Box 98000, Baton Rouge, LA 70898, or via email at [email protected], for those who prefer the directness of digital communication, the changes marking an ongoing shift in how the state manages its bustling aquatic trade.
Furthermore, the department has scheduled a public hearing on December 22, at their Baton Rouge headquarters, appropriately named the Joe L. Herring Louisiana Room, the venue itself at 2000 Quail Drive, a place familiar perhaps to those who have navigated the corridors of state wildlife regulation before, with the meeting set for 10 am, a reasonable hour for those wishing to join the discourse on these amendments, according to LDWF’s website…