Louisiana Bowfishing Permit 2024

In Louisiana, a recreational saltwater bowfishing permit for both the private and charter sectors of the recreational fishery will be required beginning January 1, 2024.

The permit is free of charge and will be valid one year from the date issued. The permit can be obtained only online through the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) website.

Individuals 18 years of age or older taking, or attempting to take saltwater recreational fish with bowfishing gear in the waters of Louisiana, or engaging in bowfishing activity below the saltwater line will be required to hold this mandatory permit.

Any person on a charter bowfishing trip, who pays a fee for that trip, is not required to have this permit, but the permit is required for the captain of that charter vessel.

The permit is being implemented in order to effectively manage saltwater recreational species, according to LDWF. 

The free permit can be received by visiting: https://ldwf.wlf.la.gov/bowp

source: Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries

2022 Shortfin Mako Shark Regulations - Atlantic HMS

Shortfin Mako Shark

Major changes have been implemented for shortfin mako sharks along the Atlantic coast for the 2022 fishing season. 

NOAA Fisheries recently announced a change to shortfin mako shark retention limits in Federal waters, effective on July 5, 2022.  According to NOAA, a public notice pertaining to state waters will follow soon. 

The final rule establishes a shortfin mako shark retention limit of zero in the commercial and recreational Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) fisheries, consistent with the management measure adopted in 2021 by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT).

If ICCAT provides for U.S. harvest in the future, NOAA Fisheries could increase the shortfin mako shark retention limit, based on regulatory criteria and the amount of retention allowed by ICCAT. Until that happens, the retention limit will remain at zero.

The rule affects:

Any commercial fishermen with HMS permits

Any recreational fishermen with HMS permits

Any dealers who buy or sell sharks or shark products

To comply with this rule, commercial and recreational fishermen (including those fishing in tournaments or on for-hire vessels) with HMS permits must release any shortfin mako sharks captured while the retention limit is zero, whether the shark is dead or alive at haulback.

NOAA Fisheries will notify the public of any change to the commercial and/or recreational shortfin mako shark retention limit via Federal Register notice and email. Fishermen must continue to follow other relevant fishery regulations, which are summarized in the Atlantic HMS compliance guides.

North Carolina For Hire Logbook Requirement Delayed

At its February meeting, the North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission voted to delay voting on a proposed rule regarding a for-hire logbook requirement until the August meeting in order to get more stakeholder input before the decision.

The delay came after a large group of people from the for-hire industry at the meeting expressed concerns about the for-hire logbook requirement.

The proposed rule would implement a recent change in state law and require charter and guide captains to submit a logbook detailing their for-hire fishing activity for the previous week.

If implemented, for-hire logbook information would go to the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) for management purposes.

source: North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission