State wildlife officials want to remind hunters that the transport and transplanting of Roseau cane is prohibited right now.
The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry has a quarantine on the cane because of an invasive insect that is destroying huge areas of the plant, which is common in coastal Louisiana.
With teal hunting season less than a month away, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) would like to advise waterfowl hunters and fishermen of the quarantine and the threat posed by the scale.
Waterfowl hunters and fishermen also are encouraged to observe the following:
- Do not transport Roseau cane
- Do not tie up boats to Roseau cane
- Remove all cane debris from boats prior to leaving local marinas
- Wash and drain boats at or near marinas with soapy water
These measures will limit the spread of the insect.
The quarantine area encompasses all areas south of Louisiana Highway 10. That begins at the Mississippi/Louisiana state line and moves west until intersecting with U.S. Highway 171 in Vernon Parish then moving south and continuing to U.S. Highway 190 in DeRidder until reaching the Sabine River and Texas/Louisiana state line.
Roseau cane is a tall wetland grass that helps protect the Mississippi River’s bird foot delta and Louisiana’s coastal region. Unlike some marsh vegetation, Roseau cane stands up well to tropical storm events. It is one of the most erosion-resistant marsh plants along the Louisiana coast. The spread of the scale could have severe impacts on the health of the state’s coastal marshes as well as valuable agricultural crops throughout the state. For more information on Roseau cane, go to http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/fishing/roseau-cane-scale-delta .
The scale, native from China or Japan, has been identified as Nipponaclerda biwakoensis , commonly referred to as Phragmites Scale or Roseau Cane Mealy Bug. It has had severe effects on the dominant vegetation of the Mississippi River Delta. The rate at which it seems to be expanding and the severity of its impacts is alarming, according to LDWF, LDAF and LSU AgCenter biologists.
