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The recreational and commercial seasons for lane snapper in Louisiana waters will close at 12:01 a.m. on November 21, 2022, and will remain closed until January 1, 2023.

The decision was made by Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Secretary Jack Montoucet, following notification by NOAA Fisheries that the Federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico will close for the recreational and commercial harvest of lane snapper on November 15, 2022, and would remain closed until January 1, 2023.  NOAA Fisheries requested that LDWF also close state waters.

Data indicate that the 2022 annual catch limit of 1,028,973 pounds has been projected to be met by November 15, 2022.  Compatible season regulations in state waters are preferable to provide effective rules and efficient enforcement for the fisheries and to prevent overfishing of the species in the long term.

Effective with this closure, no person shall recreationally harvest or possess lane snapper within or without Louisiana waters.  Additionally, no person shall commercially harvest, possess, purchase, barter, trade, sell, or attempt to barter, trade, or sell lane snapper within or without Louisiana waters.  The prohibition on the sale/purchase of lane snapper during the closure does not apply to those that were harvested, landed ashore, and sold prior to the effective date of the closure and were held in cold storage by a dealer or processor provided appropriate records in accordance with R.S. 56:306.5 and 56:306.6 are properly maintained.

For more information contact Jason Adriance at 504/284-2032 (jadriance@wlf.la.gov)