The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission passed a Notice of Intent (NOI) to modify the commercial menhaden fishery buffers off the Louisiana coast.
This action will reduce the existing buffer areas from ½ mile to ¼ mile from the Cameron Jetties to Rutherford Beach, Mermentau River to Rollover, Point Au Fer to Bayou Grand Caillou, and Bay Long to Southwest Pass. A gap in the buffer is being added between Baptiste Collette and Breton Island in open waters that connect outside waters with waters inside Breton and Chandeleur Sounds. This action also adds buffers to the inside of the Chandeleur Islands and around Isle Dernieres, according to LDF.
The adjustments contained within the NOI increase the existing square miles of buffer by 4.32%, from approximately 264 square miles to approximately 276 square miles of nearshore waters.
Interested persons may submit comments relative to the proposed rule upon publication in the State Register on December 19 to Jason Adriance, Fisheries Division, Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, P.O. Box 98000, Baton Rouge, LA 70898-9000 or via email to jadriance@wlf.la.gov through January 23, 2026, at 3:00 PM.
The full notice of intent can be viewed here. [wlf.louisiana.gov]
Maps can be viewed below, and detailed maps can be viewed here [wlf.louisiana.gov].
