BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries will close the Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge this week to hold its annual controlled alligator harvest.
State officials say the refuge will close Sept. 4-11 until noon each day to harvest the reptiles. After noon each day, the public will be allowed to enter the refuge and use its recreational areas until official sunset.
The delayed openings will be in effect each day or until alligator trappers have used their tags for this controlled harvest.
The refuge spans 26 miles of coastal Louisiana in Cameron and Vermilion parishes, provides recreational fishing opportunities for crabs, shrimp, redfish, speckled trout, black drum, largemouth bass and other species.
Rockefeller attracts over 100,000 visitors annually.
