Red snapper season opening May 1 and an expanded Dec. 5-20 black bear season were key items from the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission during its March 4 meeting in Baton Rouge.
But, the most contentious issues focused on charter fishing operations on the Dewey Wills Wildlife Management Area and new creel and size limits on sac-a-lait and bass in the Saline-Larto Complex that takes in parts of four north Louisiana parishes.
Wildlife and Fisheries marine biologist Jason Adriance told the seven-man commission there was little reason to change the private recreational red snapper framework from the successful 2025 season which ran 200 days and closed Nov. 16. This sector also includes state charterboats. Federally-permitted charterboat operations will have to wait until June 1 to open their season.
Adriance said the private recreational season hauled in 947,103 pounds in 2025. That was 5.8 percent over Louisiana’s 2025 allocation, and will reduce the state’s 2026 allocation to 882,439 pounds. He said the federally permitted charters hauled in 147,830 pounds in a much more limited season.
Adriance also noted average weights and lengths of red snapper were up over the same 2025 measurements.
“So, there is a pretty stable age structure and there is good recruitment of young snapper,” Adriance said.
A four-fish daily limit with a minimum size limit at 16 inches remain for the snapper season.
Black bear season
The black bear season will expand to all seven Louisiana bear areas from the three areas hunted in 2025.
State biologist John Hanks said permits in each of the seven areas will be determined by population surveys of the bears in each area.
Hunters took 16 bears (10 males, 6 females) with an average weight of 341 pounds from the 26 tags issued for 2025’s December season.
Other changes in the season will be to move all of Franklin Parish into Bear Area 4 and the chance for nonresident landowners to get a tag. Public comment on this proposed season will be accepted until 4 p.m., April 28.
Amendments
While there was a suggestion from Chad Courville to move both days of the youth waterfowl season to the weekend before the opening of the 60-day season – no amendment was offered – the commission approved an amendment to sunrise-to-sunset hunting hours for a new October season on black-bellied whistling ducks. The recommendation addressed U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service concerns about identifying this species from other migrating waterfowl in low-light periods.
The other approved amendment likely will draw the ire of charter boat operations working waters on wildlife management areas. The issue was raised in late 2025 from anglers on the Dewey Wills WMA. Recreational anglers in that area objected to the day-after-day charter boat catches and the use of LiveScope electronics to target species, mostly sac-a-lait.
The amendment will ban charter boat fishermen from keeping fish on their trips into WMAs.
More news
In other action, the commission approved the addition of lands to three WMAs, notably 628.4 acres of freshwater marsh to the Salvador WMA (37,075 acres total) and adding four miles of shoreline along Lake Salvador; adding 232 acres to the John Franks WMA (Caddo Parish, now 3,896 acres); and, 51.98 acres to the Sandy Hollow WMA (Tangipahoa Parish, now 4,706 acres) with a plan to plant longleaf pines on the newly acquired land.
From the Enforcement Division, Major Davis Madere reported agents issued 858 citations and 265 warnings and worked three boating accidents (no fatalities) in February.
The commission will meet at 10 a.m. in Vidalia for its April 9 meeting.
