§499.1.  Use of trawls in certain areas around Calcasieu Lake; use and identification of butterfly nets in certain sections of East and West Passes of the Calcasieu River, Grand Bayou, and Oyster Bayou

A.(1)  No person shall use a trawl for the taking of shrimp at night in the Cameron Parish sections of Calcasieu Lake, the Black Bayou System, Grand Bayou, and Little Burton's Ditch.

(2)  No person shall use a skimmer net in Calcasieu Lake from one half hour after sunset until one half hour before sunrise; however, skimmer nets may be used during open season to take shrimp during the day and at night in all areas of Cameron Parish west of the western shore of Calcasieu Lake.

B.(1) Butterfly nets may be used for the taking of shrimp in Calcasieu Lake, Calcasieu River, Grand Bayou, and Calcasieu Ship Channel, all within Cameron Parish only, in the daytime and in the nighttime, during open season.

(2)  All butterfly nets located in East and West Passes of the Calcasieu River in Grand Bayou, and in Oyster Bayou, all within Cameron Parish only, shall be tagged with a tag listing the fisherman's name, address, and butterfly net license number.  This tag shall be attached to the net, frame, or any other structure or part directly attached to the net or frame in such a manner that it is above the water at all times. This tag shall be of readable size, easily visible, and with letters at least three inches high and of appropriate width.

(3) When a butterfly net located in West or East Pass of the Calcasieu River, in Oyster Bayou, or in Grand Bayou, all within Cameron Parish, is not being fished, all of the following shall apply:

(a)  Any object to which the net is attached or mounted solely for purposes of fishing, including but not limited to any unmanned boat or vessel, floating platform, pontoon, or barge, shall be moved from the waterway and relocated adjacent to the shoreline in a manner which shall not present an obstruction or hazard to navigation.

(b)  Any anchor or weight used to secure in the waterway the net or any object to which it is attached or mounted solely for purposes of fishing, including but not limited to any unmanned boat or vessel, floating platform, pontoon, or barge, shall be removed from the waterbottom.

(c)  Any rope, line, chain, or other device used to connect to the shoreline the net and any object to which it is attached or mounted solely for purposes of fishing, including but not limited to any unmanned boat or vessel, floating platform, pontoon, or barge, shall be prohibited.  However, the prohibition expressed herein shall not apply when such rope, line, chain, or other device is being used to secure, when not in use, such net and any object to which it is attached or mounted adjacent to the shoreline in a manner which shall not present an obstruction or hazard to navigation.

(4) Any butterfly net, whether or not it is being fished, that is not marked for identification so that the person owning or responsible for such net can be identified shall be considered contraband.  Any agent finding the contraband butterfly net shall immediately seize and take it into custody and may obtain from a judge of any court in the parish where the butterfly net was found, an ex parte order forfeiting the contraband and ordering its destruction.  An agent of the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries or authorized employee who seizes items as provided in this Paragraph is immune from liability and from suit for a seizure and destruction of a butterfly net.

C.  Violation of the provisions of this Section constitutes a class two violation.

Added by Acts 1954, No. 251, §1.  Amended by Acts 1966, No. 190, §1; Acts 1981, No. 837, §3; Acts 1985, No. 918, §1; Acts 1985, No. 872, §1; Acts 1986, No. 397, §1, eff. July 2, 1986; Acts 1986, No. 1077, §1, eff. July 17, 1986; Acts 2007, No. 296, §1; Acts 2009, No. 360, §1, eff. July 6, 2009.