Menhaden Industry Targets Half-Mile Buffer After 2024 Agreement

Louisiana’s recreational fishing industry faces a critical threat as the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission considers weakening recently established protections for nearshore waters. After just one year under new conservation guidelines, the industrial menhaden fishery is pushing to significantly reduce buffer zones that protect vital fish habitat and reduce devastating bycatch.

The Staggering Cost of Bycatch

The numbers are alarming: 150 million fish are killed as bycatch every single year in Louisiana waters by the industrial menhaden fishery. These aren’t just any fish. Tarpon, redfish, speckled trout, and flounder—the backbone of Louisiana’s recreational fishing—are being destroyed alongside the 1.2 billion pounds of forage fish the industry harvests annually.

These nearshore waters are the lifeblood of the Gulf sportfishing industry, providing fishing opportunities for hundreds of thousands of anglers and contributing $3.1 billion to the state’s economy.

A Hard-Won Compromise Now Under Attack

In 2024, stakeholders, including the Coastal Conservation Association, recreational anglers, and the menhaden industry, came to the table and reached a compromise. They agreed to a half-mile buffer zone for commercial menhaden operations to protect habitat and reduce lethal bycatch of species that drive Louisiana’s recreational fishing economy.

The American Sportfishing Association strongly supported this conservation-minded approach, recognizing that these guidelines protect vital species and the forage fish they depend on.

Now, after only one year with the new regulations in place, the pogey industry is requesting a 30% increase in their fishing area nearest the coast. At the request of the menhaden companies’ owners, the Chairman of the Wildlife and Fisheries Commission has directed the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries staff to draft a notice of intent to reduce the buffer zone from half a mile down to just one quarter mile in most areas.

Why the Buffer Matters

These shallow waters aren’t just fishing spots. They are critical spawning grounds where marine species thrive. The proposed reduction throws away conservation gains that took years to achieve, with no environmental review and no consideration of ecological impact.

Time for Action

Louisiana anglers and citizens cannot afford to stay silent. The commission needs to hear from you immediately.

Take action now:

1. Email the commission at comments@wlf.La.gov and copy CCA at info@ccalouisiana.com. Tell them to maintain the half-mile buffer zone.
2. Attend the commission meeting on November 6 in Baton Rouge, where they will vote on this notice of intent. Your presence matters.

Louisiana’s fisheries are a public resource that belongs to all citizens, not just industrial interests. These valuable waters should not be decimated for short-term industry profits. Send that email today, and mark your calendar for November 6. The future of Louisiana’s coastal fisheries depends on it.`

Keith Lusher

Keith Lusher is an award-winning outdoor journalist who resides in Covington, Louisiana. He owns and operates NorthshoreFishingReport.com and writes a weekly outdoor column for the Slidell Independent Newspaper. He also writes for the St.Tammany Parish Tourism Commission’s VisitTheNorthshore.com. He is the former host of The Northshore Fishing Report Radio Show and is on the board of the Louisiana Outdoor Writers Association. Keith contributes to numerous publications both online and in print and prides himself on promoting South Louisiana’s unique fishery. To contact Keith email: keithlusherjr@gmail.com