The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) is looking to fill an empty seat on the Louisiana Crab Task Force (LCTF) for a commercial hard crab fisherman.
Licensed Louisiana commercial blue crab fishermen who are interested in serving in the LCTF and would like to be considered, should fill out an online application. The deadline for the application is June 30.
The LCTV was established in 2001 and advises the LDWF and the state wildlife and fisheries commission on matters involving the management and development of the crab industry in Louisiana.
Blue crabs have been harvested commercially in Louisiana since around the 1800s and continue to support one of the state’s most important seafood industries, according to the LDWF’s website. Louisiana’s commercial blue crab fishery is the largest in the Gulf and the United States and supplies about a quarter of the blue crab harvested in the country.
The LCTF board has four Louisiana crab dealers and a processor, two soft shell crab processors and seven commercial hard crab fishermen. All members are appointed by the LDWF secretary and are subject to Senate confirmation. The task force meets four times a year on an as-needed basis.
The LDWF encourages stakeholders to participate in LCTF meetings and to help play a part in improving the fishery. For more information, contact Peyton Cagle at 337-491-2575 or pcagle@wlf.la.gov.
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