Louisiana Fishing Regulations: Offshore Rules by Species

Offshore Louisiana means rigs, reefs, and a jurisdiction line you cannot see from the console. Fishing rules come in two sets, the state’s and the federal government’s, and Louisiana’s limits follow the fish you possess into federal water. Before every trip, check the LDWF or NOAA page for the species you are after, because fishing in Louisiana offshore means rules that move with quotas and declarations.

Louisiana Fishing Official Government Organizations

Louisiana state waters generally run 3 nautical miles from the nearest land, and Louisiana waters extend to 9 nautical miles for reef fish management. Federal waters run from there out to 200 nautical miles. Louisiana’s state and federal boundaries decide which rule set applies at a given spot. In federal Gulf waters, the rules sit in 50 CFR 622 under the Gulf Council and NOAA, and the federal Gulf fishing regulations page is where they are published. Neighboring states and other U.S. waters are governed by their own agencies, so a Louisiana number should not be carried across a state line.

Limits follow your fish. Most Louisiana reef fish, mackerel, cobia, wahoo and tuna limits apply to fish you possess, whether you took them in state or federal water. A federally permitted for-hire reef fish vessel follows the more restrictive of the state or federal rule while in state waters. Louisiana law also prohibits breaking federal reef fish, billfish or tuna rules in the federal exclusive economic zone. In practice, the stricter number governs offshore.

To know which side of the line a platform sits on, read its placard. Platforms in state waters carry a state lease number, and platforms in federal waters carry an OCS number.

Licenses come first. Anglers 18 and older need a Basic Fishing License and a Saltwater Fishing License, each valid one year from the day of purchase. Anglers under 18 need no license. The free Recreational Offshore Landing Permit (ROLP) is also required to possess tunas, billfish, swordfish, amberjacks, groupers, hinds, snappers, cobia, wahoo, gray triggerfish and dolphinfish. That includes private anglers on vessels with a federal HMS permit. Paying charter clients are covered by the captain’s Charter ROLP.

The bodies that write and enforce the rules:

• Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) – The state agency that publishes and manages saltwater rules in Louisiana waters and issues licenses and the ROLP.
• Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission – Sets seasons and limits with LDWF, and it and the LDWF Secretary set the state red snapper season.
• Louisiana Legislature – Shares fisheries management authority in state waters with LDWF and the Commission.
• Gulf of America (Gulf of Mexico) Fishery Management Council – Writes the federal management plans for reef fish and coastal migratory pelagics in federal waters.
• NOAA Fisheries – Implements federal Gulf rules under 50 CFR 622 and announces in-season closures and the federal for-hire red snapper season.
• LDWF LA Creel – LDWF’s recreational landings program, where red snapper landings from state and federal waters count toward Louisiana’s allocation and drive closures.

Louisiana Offshore Fishing Regulations by Species

The ROLP covers most species below. Two aggregates matter. The 20-fish reef fish aggregate, per person per day, covers vermilion snapper, lane snapper, almaco jack, gray triggerfish and tilefish. The 4-grouper aggregate, per person per day, covers the groupers listed under the grouper entries. For charter captain and crew, the bag limit is zero for red snapper, greater amberjack and every grouper.

Reef fish taken under a bag limit may not be sold, and you may hold no more than one day’s reef fish bag limit. Federal reef fish gear rules require non-stainless steel circle hooks with natural bait, and at least one dehooking device on board and used to remove embedded hooks. The federal reef fish gear rules carry the text. For releasing fish, read NOAA’s descending device requirement before you go. Quota closures and in-season changes cannot be known in advance, so the agency page is the last word on every season below. Breakpoint shows where the 9 nautical mile line and the reefs sit. Chart layers are not for navigation.