Senators scotch crawfish season

A House concurrent resolution requesting the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to “examine the issue of a wild-caught crawfish fishing season,” which was fast-tracked through the House, failed to make it out of the Senate Committee on Natural Resources Wednesday.
Another House concurrent resolution, this one to create a committee to study ways to further regulate crawfishing, met a similar fate in the House Committee on Natural Resources last week.
Of three pieces of legislation aimed at further regulating crawfish production – vehemently opposed by St. Martin Parish commercial fishermen – only House Bill 438 appears to remain viable.
The bill would prohibit the sale of live crawfish “for direct human consumption” smaller than 3-1/2 inches from the tip of the rostrum to the rear edge of the carapace. Smaller crawfish could only be sold as “peelers” or for use as bait.
Punishment would range from a $100 fine to $750 and to 90 days in jail.
All three measures were introduced by Rep. Eddie Lambert, R-Gonzales. Rep. Karen St. Germain, D-Plaquemine, and Sen. Rick Ward III, R-Port Allen, are listed as coauthors on the concurrent resolutions.
Ben Bienvenu, vice president of the Louisiana Crawfish Producers Association - West, a St. Martin-based organization of commercial fishermen, said the measures appear to be attempts to stifle the deep-water crawfish industry on the west side of the Atchafalaya Basin.
“We don’t need a season,” he said. “The water level dictates our season.”