§329. Obstruction of streams or lakes by fyke nets or other devices

            A. No person shall obstruct the free passage of fish in any of the streams, lakes, bayous, or in any body of water, including crevasses, coulees, and canals in marsh and swamp areas of the state by any means whatsoever, provided that the provisions of this Section shall not apply to water control structures or dams for the retention of water for conservation purposes.

            B.(1) Except as provided in Paragraph (2) of this Subsection, no obstructions including trawls, skimmer nets, butterfly nets, fyke nets, wings or leads, seines, gill nets, or trammel nets which interfere with the free passageway for fish as defined in this Section shall be set within five hundred feet of the mouth of any inlet or pass, or within five hundred feet of any water control structures, dams, or weirs, except for the purpose of retaining and removing invasive species of fish and other nongame freshwater fish of commercial value. When fishing for the purpose of retaining and removing invasive species of fish and other nongame freshwater fish of commercial value, nets are restricted to a mesh size no smaller than three and one-half inches bar. Wings and leads are permitted on hoop nets in overflowed regions where the water is out of the actual bed of the natural stream or lake but not within the restricted five-hundred-feet area.

            (2) Notwithstanding the provisions of Paragraph (1) of this Subsection, hoop nets set in Little River in Grant Parish and LaSalle Parish may be set closer than five hundred feet to the mouth of any inlet or pass or water control structure, dam, or weir.

            C. The possession of fish caught in leads or wings is prohibited. Wings and leads on hoop nets below the saltwater line, as defined in R.S. 56:322(A), are permitted. However, the use of monofilament leads or wings shall be prohibited below the saltwater line. No pair of wings or leads shall be within one hundred feet of each other and no single lead shall exceed twenty-five feet in length.

            D. "Free passageway for fish" means a minimum passageway opening of five feet in width extending from the surface to the bottom of the water in the deepest portion of the water. The use of wings and leads on nets and seines is a violation of this Section except in overflowed regions as stated above.

            E. Violation of any of the provisions of this Section constitutes a class three violation.

            Acts 1989, No. 247, §1, eff. June 26, 1989; Acts 1992, No. 528, §1, eff. June 29, 1992; Acts 2007, No. 296, §1; Acts 2010, No. 746, §1; Acts 2011, No. 268, §1; Acts 2022, No. 11, §1, eff. May 13, 2022.