BATON ROUGE, La. – A bill that would set in law the right to recreationally fish navigable waters up to the high-water mark is in dire need of angler support, the bill’s author told Louisiana Sportsman.
The legislation failed in its first floor vote on May 28 by a 17-19 margin, but McPherson reintroduced the bill and is working to garner the three votes needed.
“If a legislator would get a dozen contacts from his constituents, I promise he will be swayed on this issue,” Sen. Joe McPherson (D-Woodworth) said. “Many of the (senators) I thought would support a water-access bill had not heard from anyone but the big landowners in their districts.
“If as many people would pick up the phone or e-mail or write letters to their representatives as have written in to Louisiana Sportsman complaining about this issue, this would be resolved.”
Senate Bill 292 states that “when the waters from a state-claimed navigable waterway overflows its bank or shore, a person shall have access by boat to such overflow waters for the purpose of recreational hook and line fishing.”
McPherson said the narrow defeat last week proves the clout of landowners.
“It’s a classic case of the big companies having good lobbyists at the capital talking to them every day,” McPherson said.
The bill does exclude the coastal marshes, and several senators explicitly excluded the 29 parishes they represent from the bill.
Those senators exempting their parishes were Robert Adley (R-Benton), Jack Donahue (R-Mandeville), Francis Thompson (D-Delhi), Ben Nevers (D-Bogalusa), Eric LaFleur (D-Ville Platte) and Dan “Blade” Morrish (R-Jennings).
McPherson said the bill is worth passing despite the many exclusions.
“I think what we want to do is define what the public doctrine is in the state,” he explained. “I think if we can get it passed, those senators who exempted their parishes will receive pressure from their constituents who find some can (access these waters) but they can’t because of the actions of their senators.”
McPherson asked anglers to contact their senators and either thank them for voting for SB 292 or ask why they voted against it.
Senators who voted for the measure and their contact information are:
• Jody Amedee, Dist. 18, Gonzales: 225-644-1526: amedeej@legis.state.la.us
• Sharon Broome, Dist. 15, Baton Rouge: 225-359-9352: broomes@legis.state.la.us
• Bill Cassidy, Dist. 16, Baton Rouge: 225-925-2522: lasen16@legis.state.la.us
• Yvonne Dorsey, Dist. 14, Baton Rouge: 225-342-9700: dorseyy@legis.state.la.us
• Ann Duplessis, Dist. 2, New Orleans: 504-243-7795: duplessisa@legis.state.la.us
• Reggie Dupre, Dist. 20, Houma: 985-876-9902: lasen20@legis.state.la.us
• Butch Gautreaux, Dist. 21, Morgan City: 985-380-2433: lasen21@legis.state.la.us
• Nick Gautreaux, Dist. 26, Abbeville: 337-740-6425: gautreauxn@legis.state.la.us
• Troy Hebert, Dist. 22, New Iberia: 337-365-8484: hebertt@legis.state.la.us
• David Heitmeier, Dist. 7, New Orleans: 504-361-6356: heitmeierd@legis.state.la.us
• Gerald Long, Dist. 31, Winnfield: 318-628-5799: longg@legis.state.la.us
• Joe McPherson, Dist. 29, Woodworth: 318-484-2211: lasen29@legis.state.la.us
• Willie Mount, Dist. 27, Lake Charles: 337-491-2016: lasen27@legis.state.la.us
• Edwin Murray, Dist. 4, New Orleans: 504-945-0042: murraye@legis.state.la.us
• Julie Quinn, Dist. 6, Metairie: 504-219-4640: quinnj@legis.state.la.us
• Derrick Shepherd, Dist. 3, Marrero: 504-371-0263: websen@legis.state.la.us
• John Smith, Dist. 30, Leesville: 337-238-2709: smithj@legis.state.la.us
Those senators voting against SB 292 and their contact information are:
• Robert Adley, Dist. 36, Benton: 318-965-1755: adleyr@legis.state.la.us
• John Alario, Dist. 8, Westwego: 504-340-2221: 504-340-2221: alarioj@legis.state.la.us
• Joel Chaisson, Dist. 19, Destrahan: 985-764-9911: websen@legis.state.la.us
• Sherri Cheek, Dist 38, Keithville: 318-687-4820: smithcheek@legis.state.la.us
• Donald Cravins Jr., Dist. 24, Opelousas, 337-943-2407: cravinsd@legis.state.la.us
• A. G. Crowe, Dist. 1, Slidell: 985-643-3600: crowea@legis.state.la.us
• Jack Donahue, Dist. 11, Mandeville: 985-727-7949: donahuej@legis.state.la.us
• Dale Erdey, Dist. 13, Livingston: 225-686-2881: erdeyd@legis.state.la.us
• Bob Kostelka, Dist. 35, Monroe: 318-362-3474: kostelka@legis.state.la.us
• Eric LaFleur, Dist. 28, Ville Platte: 337-363-5019: lefleure@legis.state.la.us
• Rob Marionneaux, Dist. 17, Livonia: 225-637-3623: lasen17@legis.state.la.us
• Danny Martiny, Dist. 10, Metairie: 504-834-7676: martinyd@legis.state.la.us
• Mike Michot, Dist. 23, Lafayette: 337-262-1332: lasen23@legis.state.la.us
• Dan Morrish, Dist. 25, Jennings, 337-824-3979: morrishd@legis.state.la.us
• Ben Nevers, Dist. 12, Bogalusa: 985-732-6863: websen@legis.state.la.us
• Neil Riser, Dist. 32, Columbia: 318-649-0977: risern@legis.state.la.us
• Buddy Shaw, Dist. 37, Shreveport: 318-861-5941: shawb@legis.state.la.us
• Francis Thompson, Dist. 34, Delhi: 318-878-9408: thompsof@legis.state.la.us
• Mike Walsworth, Dist. 33, West Monroe: 318-340-6453: walsworthm@legis.state.la.us
Two senators were absent during the vote. Their names and contact information are:
• Cheryl Gray, Dist. 5, New Orleans: 504-568-2098; grayc@legis.state.la.us
• Lydia Jackson, Dist. 39, Shreveport: 318-676-7029; jacksonl@legis.state.la.us
