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Pogey Buffer Zone NOI Opens for Public Comment
In October, the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Fee authorized a Notice of Intent (NOI) that established a coastal buffer zone for the business harvest of menhaden AKA pogies. The zone would prohibit pogey boats from coming into a 1-mile zone off your entire Louisiana shoreline and three miles from Grand Isle and the world between Holly Seaside and Rutherford Seaside in western Louisiana. Within the NOI can be guidelines for reporting and clean-up of fish spills by the menhaden harvesters.
David Cresson of CCA Louisiana is a proponent of the brand new restrictions and mentioned, “These prolonged coastwide buffers will permit for the menhaden discount business to make their vital harvest whereas defending our fragile shorelines and the fish and wildlife that stay there. We’ve got all seen the impacts that this business has on our coastal areas, particularly when the operations happen in very shallow waters.”
Daybrook Fisheries and Omega Protein are two firms that harvest pogeys alongside the Louisiana Coast. To this date they’re accountable for 18 particular person fish spills in 2023. The spills have allegedly wasted thousands and thousands of pogies and 1000’s of redfish and different bycatch. In July, a vessel fishing for Daybrook was cited for illegally harvesting 86,000 pounds of menhaden “effectively inside” the ¼ mile buffer zone. Final September, an Omega crew cut and abandoned an enormous net containing an estimated 900,000 menhaden and didn’t mark the damaging, deserted gear. Every year, Daybrook and Omega ships from Mississippi and Louisiana harvest billions of pogies and kill 1000’s of spawning redfish in Louisiana waters. That is all coming at a time when fingers are being pointed on the leisure fishermen of Louisiana for overfishing of redfish.
Now, it’s time to listen to from the leisure fishermen! The NOI has entered into the general public remark interval. It’s essential that your voice be heard on this situation! Please ship your feedback in the present day, expressing your assist of the Wildlife and Fisheries Fee and their Menhaden Buffer NOI. Click on HERE to submit your feedback.
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