As per the press communiqué of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, the commercial season for Non-Sandbar Large Coastal Sharks will start on February 15. In spring, the commercial and recreational seasons for the harvest of all sharks in Louisiana waters will close from 12:01 a.m. April 1, 2012 until 12:01 p.m. July 1, 2012, due to an existing fixed closure to protect shark pupping.
Existing federal and state rules regulate the commercial harvest of Non-Sandbar Large Coastal Sharks and Pelagic Sharks regarding trip limits, allowable species and requirements for permits and landings. For this kind of sharks specifically designated federally permitted vessels are require to take sandbar shark while operating under conditions of that permit.
The season will remain open until the federal quota is met. There is no allowable harvest at any time for all Prohibited Species. Shark species falling in the category include Basking shark, white shark, bigeye sand tiger, sand tiger, whale shark, smalltooth sawfish, largetooth sawfish, Atlantic angel shark, Caribbean sharpnose shark, smalltail shark, bignose shark, Caribbean reef shark, dusky shark, Galapagos shark, narrowtooth shark, night shark, bigeye sixgill shark, bigeye thresher shark, longfin mako, sevengill shark and sixgill shark.
