Public Notice

The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission (LWFC) passed a final rule at their Feb. 1 meeting designating certain state-owned water bottoms in Jefferson and Lafourche Parishes as the Little Lake Public Oyster Seed Grounds. Following the designation, the commission set the oyster season in this area to open at one-half hour before sunrise on Feb. 21, 2007 upon the recommendation of Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries' marine biologists. However, this opening does not supercede health closures ordered by the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals.

This designation places approximately 32,000 acres under the management of the state for the long-term benefit of the oyster resource in the area. It is emphasized that this designation is for state-owned water bottoms within the designated area only and that the final rule does not provide authorization for access to private property.

The state-owned water bottoms in this area were previously opened to oyster harvest for a limited time in 2003 as a Temporary Natural Reef. However, the persistence of oyster resources in the area lead to the recent request by the Louisiana Oyster Task Force for the LWFC to designate the area a permanent public oyster seed ground. Oyster resources were located in the area and it was determined that sufficient quantities existed to allow the opening of an oyster season in Little Lake. Oyster harvest in this area should provide economic opportunity to the Louisiana oyster industry; an industry that continues to recover following heavy impacts from the hurricanes of 2005.

The Little Lake Public Oyster Seed Grounds are those state-owned water bottoms within the area illustrated on the map at http://dnr.louisiana.gov/crm/coastmgt/images/LittleLakeMap.jpg.

For more information contact Patrick Banks at 225-765-2370 or pbanks@wlf.louisiana.gov.

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Updated Tuesday, May 16, 2006 2:14:03 PM