FISH/FISHING: Provides for anchorage in certain waterways with fishing gear restriction. (8/1/26)

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Robert Allain

Shrimp nets in Oyster Bayou may be used only when suspended from a moving motorized vessel, with no anchoring or attachment to shore or fixed objects.

Signed by the Governor. Becomes Act No. 903.

Summary of Bill: SB 480 (2026, Louisiana)

Main purpose

Clarifies and reaffirms rules governing the use of butterfly nets and bottom nets in Oyster Bayou, specifically restricting how these nets may be deployed and anchored. The bill does not change the overall allowance to use these nets for shrimp, but tightens restrictions on anchorage and attachment.

Key provisions and changes

Amends and reenacts R.S. 56:499.3 to:

Allow butterfly nets and bottom nets to be used in Oyster Bayou (between Atchafalaya Bay and Terrebonne Bay, extending 1,000 feet outside the points where Oyster Bayou connects with Fourleague Bay and the Gulf of America) to catch shrimp only when the nets are suspended from a fishing boat or vessel that is motor-propelled and underway.
Prohibit any anchorage or weight used to secure the net or any object to which it is attached or mounted within the waterway. This includes, but is not limited to, unmanned boats or vessels, floating platforms, pontoons, or barges.
Prohibit any rope, line, chain, or other device used to connect the net to the shoreline or to any object to which it is attached or mounted, including unmanned boats or vessels, floating platforms, pontoons, or barges.

Essentially, the bill retains the existing authorization to use butterfly and bottom nets for shrimp in Oyster Bayou but reinforces a ban on anchoring or tethering nets to the shoreline or other fixed objects.

Who/what is affected

shrimpers and commercial fishers who use butterfly nets or bottom nets in Oyster Bayou.

Any vessel operators deploying these nets in the specified waterway, particularly with respect to anchoring devices, lines, or attachments.

Equipment operators of any supporting craft or structures attached to nets (e.g., unmanned boats, floating platforms, barges, etc.) within the defined area.

Procedural and timeline aspects

The bill amends and reenacts existing law (R.S. 56:499.3).

Effective date: August 1, 2026 (as indicated in the bill’s title and summary).

Action history shows the bill was read and referred to the Committee on Natural Resources on April 1, 2026.

Practical impact and considerations

The prohibition on anchoring or tethering nets and attachments aims to reduce navigational hazards, shoreline impact, and potential environmental or safety risks associated with net gear attached to fixed structures or the shoreline.

Fishers must ensure nets are suspended from motor-propelled, underway vessels and avoid any anchorage or attachment that connects net gear to shore or fixed objects within Oyster Bayou.

The existing allowance to use butterfly and bottom nets for shrimp remains, but operations must comply with the ongoing restriction on anchoring/attachment to shorelines or other submerged structures.

If you’d like, I can provide a plain-language briefing for stakeholders (e.g., commercial fishers, boat operators) or a side-by-side comparison with the current law for quick reference.