Lafayette commissioner suggests secretary reopen red snapper season if available fish remain in allowance.
The Louisiana recreational red snapper season closed at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 3.
Marine fisheries biologist manager Jason Adriance told commission members Thursday that as of Aug. 25, 92% of Louisiana’s quota of red snapper harvests had been accounted for.
“We’re at 92% of the quota as you see on that table and we still have the Labor Day weekend outstanding, and the Monday of Labor Day which will be in the following week’s estimates,” Adraince said. “We have 82,000 pounds left for those four days of fishing.”
Louisiana’s total allowed catch is 816,349 red snapper, and 734,103 fish have been reported harvested by Aug. 25.
Lafayette commissioner Chad Courville admitted to concerns about the remaining red snapper allowance.
“The only thing I will say is that looking at the weather for the Labor Day holiday, the landings are probably not going to be 120,000 pounds,” Courville said.
“So, I know the Secretary has the authority to reopen the season. I would ask the Secretary to consider reopening at some point for a day or weekend to bring some of that down.
“And my reasoning is I don’t want to give fish to any other state.”
Courville however did not want to make his request in a form of a motion to the commission.
