The Louisiana
Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) has announced
that on May 20, 2007, it will once again be legal to recreationally
harvest paddlefish, sometimes referred to as spoonbill catfish,
from many of Louisiana's waters.
Similar
to a catfish, the spoonbill has no scales. However, it is
easily distinguishable by its rostrum, the paddle that makes
up the first third of its body. Some anglers claim the flesh
of paddlefish is a delicacy, while others question its palatability.
The paddlefish
has been protected from both sport and commercial harvest
since 1992 to protect it from over harvest. At that time,
LDWF had little information on the population status. Since
1992, the department has investigated its numbers and established
artificial spawning techniques.
"We
feel the limited harvest of paddlefish, one that does not
include the taking of mature females, will provide anglers
with an opportunity to harvest a unique fish," said LDWF
Inland Fisheries Administrator Gary Tilyou.
Properly
licensed recreational fishermen using legal recreational gear
may take paddlefish. For a list of legal gear types please
refer to the department?s 2007 Recreational Fishing Regulations
pamphlet or to our Web site at www.wlf.louisinana.gov.
No person shall take or possess paddlefish in violation of
any of the following provisions:
- Area
- The taking or possession of paddlefish is closed in all
saltwater areas of the state and in border waters shared
with Texas.
-
All possessed paddlefish must be dead. The possession or
transportation of live paddlefish is prohibited.
- All
paddlefish possessed on the waters of the state shall be
maintained intact.
- No
persons shall possess paddlefish eggs on the waters of the
state which are not fully attached to the fish.
- The
daily take and possession limit of paddlefish is two per
person.
- Maximum
size limit - All paddlefish greater than 30 inches (lower
jaw fork length) must be returned to the water immediately.
Lower jaw fork length is the distance from the tip of the
lower jaw to the mid-line of the caudal fin. For a picture
depicting this, please refer to the LDWF fishing pamphlet.
The commercial
take and possession of paddlefish will remain prohibited.
No person shall purchase, sell, barter, exchange or trade
or attempt to purchase, sell, barter or trade paddlefish,
their eggs or parts thereof.
For more
information, contact Gary Tilyou, Administrator, Inland Fisheries
Division at 225-765-2331 or gtilyou@wlf.louisiana.gov.
