Numbers increasingly look like fishing through Labor Day ending date is possible
Louisiana red snapper anglers have another green light for trips this weekend in the Gulf of Mexico.
The latest numbers released from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Thursday afternoon indicate 736,159 pounds have been caught off the state’s coast through July 23. Last week’s total through July 16 was 709,595 pounds.
Louisiana’s self-imposed cutoff number is 1.04 million pounds for 2017 — leaving about 303,000 pounds to go with 16 potential days remaining during the extended season. But the season is subject to cancellation before its official Labor Day ending date if that limit is reached earlier.
Louisiana is part of an agreement reached earlier this summer with the four other Gulf states and the U.S. Department of Commerce that allows recreational anglers to fish 200 miles from the Louisiana coast for red snapper for 39 days. The extended season opened June 16 and will continue for now on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays only through Labor Day.
Under the agreement with Texas, Alabama, Mississippi and Florida, there will be no red snapper fishing in state waters Mondays through Thursdays, except on Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 4.
