Why It Matters: Menhaden are a critical part of the coastal ecosystem, serving as an important forage food for many recreationally important species such as redfish, speckled trout, and others. It’s also a critically important resource for the commercial fishing industry in Louisiana. Over the years, there have been growing concerns by the recreational fishing community and state lawmakers about the proximity of menhaden boats to shore and the subsequent large amounts of bycatch and damage to fragile coastlines.
Highlights:
- In 2023, the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission voted to implement a ¼-mile buffer after the recreational fishing community continually expressed concerns about the proximity of menhaden boats to shore and the subsequent large amounts of bycatch and damage to fragile coastlines.
- Last year, the buffer zone was expanded to a ½ mile, upon a compromise by the recreational fishing community to back off of a 1-mile buffer, as well as the commercial menhaden industry agreeing to a larger buffer zone than ¼ mile.
- On November 6, the Commission voted 4-3 to amend the buffer zone again back to ¼ mile at the behest of the commercial menhaden industry, despite public outcry from the recreational fishing community as well as numerous conservation NGOs.
- Prior to the vote on November 6, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) signed on to a letter alongside 10 other partners urging the Commission to vote no on reducing the commercial menhaden buffer zone. Louisiana Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus Members Representative Joe Orgeron and Senator Big Mike Fesi attended the meeting and spoke in opposition of reducing the buffer.
The commercial menhaden industry in Louisiana has no cap on their total allowable catch of menhaden. In addition to catching as many menhaden as they want, Louisiana, up until recently, has had the weakest laws pertaining to how close the commercial fleet can get to shore. Neighboring states like Texas and Mississippi have buffers that extend at least ½ mile, while Alabama and Florida have banned commercial menhaden fishing in state waters.
In recent years, there have been several confirmed instances of net spills by commercial menhaden vessels resulting in the waste of approximately 850,000 menhaden, as well as hundreds of redfish, many of which washed onto shore. In addition to the spills, a recent bycatch study concluded that ~240,00 speckled trout, ~22,000 red drum, and hundreds of thousands of other non-target fish were killed by the commercial menhaden industry. These issues finally convinced the Commission to implement a ½-mile buffer in 2024.
However, they’ve now taken the first steps to walk back despite intense pushback by the recreational fishing community. The current NOI reduces the buffer areas from ½ mile to ¼ mile from the Cameron Jettes to Rutherford Beach, Mermentau River to Rollover, Point Au Fer to Bayou Grand Cailou, and Bay Long to Southwest Pass. A gap in the buffer is also being added between Baptiste Collette and Breton Island in open waters that connect outside waters with waters inside Breton and the Chandeleur Islands.
While the NOI is moving forward, it will be published in the state register, where it will be open for public comment and then it will need to receive final approval by the Commission during their February 2026 meeting. If it receives final approval by the Commission, it will then need to pass legislative oversight.
Ensuring the sustainability of the fishery off Louisiana’s coast is incredibly important due to the millions of dollars that are generated for conservation by the recreational fishing community through the “user pays – public benefits” American System of Conservation Funding.
The NOI will be open for public comment on December 19, 2025.
The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation will continue to work alongside our in-state and national conservation partners, the LDWF, and the Louisiana Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus to ensure the sustainability of the fishery off the Louisiana coast and the plentiful recreational fishing opportunities that it provides.
