LDWF currently upgrading ROLP website

Changes scheduled for completion by Jan. 16

The website where anglers can apply for Recreational Offshore Landing Permits is being upgraded starting today, and could be down for up to three days during the work, according to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.

New changes will make it easier to apply for a ROLP, and the revised site will accept fishing license purchase confirmation numbers as well as fishing license numbers when signing up for a permit for the first time. Additionally, family or group members will be able to be added under a single account using one email address and still receive separate permits as required, according to a press release.

Existing ROLP permit holders’ passwords will be reset, so users will be prompted to create new passwords when accessing the new site for the first time. The site, which can be accessed here, also will notify applicants that usernames will have changed to the email address associated with the account.

Both private recreational anglers and charter captains are required to obtain these free permit, but anglers on paid for-hire trips are exempt.  The permit requirement only applies to offshore anglers who possess tunas, billfish, swordfish, amberjacks, groupers, snappers, hinds, cobia, wahoo and dolphin.   Currently people under 16 who do not need a saltwater license are still required to have a ROLP, however a rule change will exempt these anglers from the ROLP permit requirement in April 2015, according to the release.