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HB 889

FISHING/OYSTERS: Provides relative to bulk tagging of oysters

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Joe Orgeron

Allows a bulk tagging option for oysters from harvest to dockside for alternative cultivation, representing all on-board oysters with a single bulk tag.

Effective date: 08/01/2026.
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Bill Summary · HB 889

Summary of HB 889 (2026, Louisiana) — FISHING/OYSTERS: Provides relative to bulk tagging of oysters

Purpose and intent

  • Establishes a bulk tagging mechanism for oysters produced through alternative oyster cultivation.
  • Retains existing tagging requirements for oysters and other mollusks, but adds a new option to represent all oysters on a vessel during transit from harvest area to dockside facility.

Key provisions and changes

  • Amends and reenacts Louisiana Revised Statutes §56:449(C) to address tagging rules.
  • Current requirements (retained):
    • Oysters and other molluscs taken from Louisiana waters for sale that are bagged or containerized on the fishing vessel must be tagged before removal from the vessel. The tag must include all information required by the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH), Office of Public Health, and the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF).
    • Oysters and other molluscs that are bagged or containerized while in the shell at dockside must be containerized and tagged immediately upon arrival at the dock, before shipment.
  • New provision (added by proposed law):
    • The LDWF must establish a bulk tagging process for alternative oyster cultivation.
    • The bulk tag may be used to represent all oysters on board the vessel between the harvest area and the dockside facility.
    • The bulk tag must include all information required by LDH, Office of Public Health, and LDWF (same informational requirements as the standard tags).

Who/what is affected

  • Oysters and other molluscan species harvested from Louisiana waters for sale.
  • Commercial fishers and vessels that harvest and transport oysters, including those engaged in traditional harvesting as well as alternative oyster cultivation operations.
  • Dockside facilities and shippers handling bagged or containerized shellstock.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • The bill retains existing tagging timelines requirement (tagging prior to removal from the vessel for on-board bagged/containerized shellstock; tagging at dockside immediately upon arrival for dockside bagged/containerized shellstock).
  • Introduces a new process that must be established by the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) for bulk tagging.
  • The bulk tagging option would be applicable during the period between harvest area and dockside facility, not necessarily tied to a specific harvest batch size (the bulk tag represents all oysters on board during that interval).

Additional notes

  • The bill text indicates the bulk tag must still carry all information required by LDH and LDWF, ensuring health and regulatory data standards are maintained.
  • The bill’s abstract and digest emphasize the bulk tagging option for “alternative oyster cultivation” while maintaining existing tag requirements.

Status

  • Reported favorably by committee (as of the latest actions in April 2026).
  • Located in the Louisiana 2026 Regular Session with sponsors including Rep. Joe Orgeron.

If you’d like, I can extract specific statute language comparisons or provide a plain-language FAQ for industry stakeholders (fishers, dockside processors, and oyster farmers).

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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