Recreational fishing license; recreational gear

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RS 302 - Recreational fishing license; recreational gear

A. A recreational fisherman must purchase a basic recreational fishing license to use the following gear or to possess fish on the fishing grounds which have been caught for recreational purposes:

(1) Hook and line

(2) Bow and arrow

(3) A barbless spear, or a multi-pronged barbed gig

(4) Castnets with a radius not to exceed eight feet six inches

(5) Frog gigs or catchers

(6) Scuba gear

B. In addition to a basic recreational fishing license, a recreational fisherman over the age of sixteen years using any gear listed in R.S. 56:302.3 must purchase a recreational gear license as provided therein. Anyone under the age of sixteen years shall not be required to purchase or possess a gear license. However, any person using crawfish nets, dip nets, landing nets, minnow traps, crab nets, or crab lines for the purpose of taking fish for recreational purposes shall not be required to purchase or possess a basic recreational fishing license or be required to purchase a gear license.

C. A fisherman taking fish for sale, using any legal gear listed in R.S. 56:305, or legally taking fish in excess of any limitation as to size, length, or quantity for recreational fishermen must purchase a commercial fisherman's license, commercial gear license, and vessel license if applicable. This includes recreational fishermen taking fish using any gear listed in R.S. 56:305 for which a recreational gear license cannot be obtained pursuant to R.S. 56:302.3 and fishermen taking fish for sale using any legal gear.

D, E. Repealed by Acts 2000, 2d Ex. Sess., No. 1, §4, eff. June 26, 2000.

NOTE: §302 as amended by Acts 2021, No. 356, eff. June 1, 2022.

RS 302 - Recreational fishing; recreational gear

A. A recreational fisherman must purchase and possess the appropriate required license as defined in R.S. 56:3001 in order to use the following gear or to possess on the fishing grounds fish which have been caught for recreational purposes:

(1) Hook and line (using a rod or fishing pole, hook and line, without a reel and without using artificial bait).

(2) Bow and arrow.

(3) A barbless spear, or a multi-pronged barbed gig.

(4) Castnets with a radius not to exceed eight feet six inches.

(5) Frog gigs or catchers.

(6) Scuba gear.

(7) Crawfish nets.

(8) Dip nets.

(9) Landing nets.

(10) Minnow traps.

(11) Crab nets.

(12) Crab lines.

(13) Crab traps: for use of no more than ten crab traps.

(14) Hoop nets: for use of no more than five hoop nets.

(15) Oyster tongs: for use of no more than one tong.

(16) Slat traps: for use of no more than five slat traps.

(17) Trawls: for use of no more than one trawl less than twenty-five feet in length.

(18) Wire nets: for use of no more than five wire nets.

(19) Crawfish traps: for use of no more than thirty-five traps.

B. A fisherman taking fish for sale, using any legal gear listed in R.S. 56:305, or legally taking fish in excess of any limitation as to size, length, or quantity for recreational fishermen must purchase a commercial fisherman's license, commercial gear license, and vessel license if applicable. This includes recreational fishermen taking fish using any gear listed in R.S. 56:305 and fishermen taking fish for sale using any legal gear.

C. No recreational fisherman shall use gill nets, trammel nets, strike nets, or seines, except bait seines in compliance with R.S. 56:323.

Acts 1986, No. 904, §1; Acts 1990, No. 455, §1; Acts 1991, No. 523, §1; Acts 1991, 871, §1; Acts 1992, No. 54, §1; Acts 1999, No. 1207, §1; Acts 2000, 2d Ex. Sess., No. 1, §4, eff. June 26, 2000; Acts 2004, No. 460, §1; Acts 2021, No. 356, §3, eff. June 1, 2022.

NOTE: SEE ACTS 1986, NO. 904, §5.


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