A bill that would’ve given gamefish status to Atlantic tarpon in Louisiana has been vetoed by Governor Jeff Landry. This despite House Bill 688 by Rep. Joseph Orgeron having passed both chambers of the Louisiana legislature by unanimous margins. It leaves Louisiana as the only state, where the species is present in numbers, that does not designate gamefish status to this prized sportfish.
This bill would’ve done more than just given gamefish status to one of the most prized recreational species in saltwater. It would have put management of tarpon under the auspices of the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission. And it turn, the LWFC could’ve determined the extent of current “catch and kill” tarpon tournaments. It also would’ve required LWFC to take actions to limit any activity in which tarpon was a significant bycatch.
In his veto letter, Landry wrote: “I can discern no corresponding conservation benefits in this designation. There is no real harvest pressure on tarpon, and nothing in the science suggests we need new limits or restrictions to protect them. Louisiana anglers do not need more regulatory hurdles for their recreational activities.”
The Louisiana Wildlife Federation (LWF) and the Gulf Coast Council of Fly Fishers International (FFI) expressed extreme disappointment in this action. It’s our belief that this was a measure may have been to further protect the menhaden industry from repercussions of tarpon bycatch.
FFI-GCC Conservation Director Glen ‘Catch’ Cormier stated that this action was the final blow to a very disappointing legislative session in which two bills to limit redfish (and other gamefish) bycatch by menhaden harvest failed to pass.
“We will be appealing to legislators to include HB688 in their veto override session. If accepted, we firmly believe the legislators will maintain their previous position that tarpon are too valuable a fish to be killed routinely just for display.”.
