If the recent flooding is any indication of the kind of tropical season in store for south Louisiana, then we’d better offer our best prayers for relief.
Seldom are the times when we’ve seen a tropical system heading into Mexico cause the kind of flooding from the Pontchartrain Basin west into the Atchafalaya River’s discharge.
Flooding from Delacroix to Grand Isle to Cocodrie left folks scratching their heads with concerns about how widespread the destructive-force flooding could be if a stronger storm sweeps into the northern Gulf of Mexico.
It’s best now to stay informed with closures of rivers and conditions in the lower reaches along our coast.
And then, pray.
On Capitol Hill
A broad coalition of outdoors organizations and businesses is calling on the U.S. Senate to pass the EXPLORE Act — Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences.
More than 250 groups signed a letter urging senators to OK this bill that increases access along with outdoor recreation opportunities across our country.
Even though Louisiana’s senators, Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy, have voiced support for EXPLORE, a note to both will help.
In our state
State Rep. Jerome Zeringue’s bill (HB559) was passed, then Gov. Jeff Landry signed Act 114 into law to dedicate all revenue from state waterfowl licenses directly into the Duck License, Stamp and Print Fund.
Before enactment, $10 from each license went into a fund to enhance waterfowl habitat in Canada and other duck-producing lands.
Now, all license fees will increase monies into this fund by as much as $375,000.
A further stipulation calls for half of this fund be used for in-state waterfowl management with the other half going to groups — notably Ducks Unlimited and Delta Waterfowl — to leverage for matching funds “for conservation of waterfowl habitat in the breeding grounds.”
Closing seasons
The state Wildlife and Fisheries is following a federal move to close the commercial greater amberjack season effective June 29 with the closure remaining through the end of the year.
The red grouper season will close on the same day.
Black bear season
Although the Wildlife and Fisheries Commission approved the initial black bear hunting season, the state Legislature has made the season an official section in state law with the passage of House Bill 684.
Highlights of the new law include:
- Allowing money in the Louisiana black bear account to incorporate management, conservation, restoration and enhancement of black bear species and its habitat;
- Setting up a $25 bear hunting license. Hunters drawn from the lottery will need a basic hunting license and a bear harvest permit;
- Allowing the commission to hold a bear harvest permit lottery with a $50 fee per application;
- Allowing the the Wildlife and Fisheries secretary “to auction a single bear harvest permit to the highest bidder;”
- Permitting the baiting of bears only by properly licensed and permitted hunters.
No snakes, please
Wildlife and Fisheries is taking a more aggressive approach to enforcing regulations about importing unpermitted venomous or non-indigenous constricting snakes into our state.
The agency’s report stated biologists and managers consider these snakes a threat to wildlife habitat, if not native wildlife.
The recent release stated, “In Louisiana, it is considered unlawful to import and/or privately possess constricting snakes in excess of 8 feet or venomous snakes obtained in any manner without a permit issued by LDWF except for animals kept by animal sanctuaries, zoos, aquariums, wildlife research centers, scientific organizations and medical research facilities.”
Red snapper
The latest LA Creel program estimate shows private recreational red snapper anglers have taken 301,658 pounds through June 2. That’s 32.3% of our state’s 934,587-pound annual allocation. It's an increase of 11,611 pounds from the May 26 report.