Louisiana Legislation Update: Everything You Need to Know

Photo: A tailing redfish captured by Capt. Ty Hibbs.

If you find yourself sitting at the boat ramp or in the office trying to figure out what the heck is going on in Louisiana right now, this blog should help ease your mind. While not littered with beautiful drone imagery or colorful commentary on the topics at hand, this blog stands as a clear cut “state of the state” for what you need to know about regarding menhaden and redfish management. Pour a cup of coffee and enjoy the following Louisiana Legislation Update (as of 04/17/2025):

---

House Bills (HB):
The following HB statuses indicated by “P” (Passed) or “DNP” (Did not pass), and respective votes.

HB 757 (Cox) strengthens enforcement of commercial menhaden regulations by increasing penalties for
violations of buffer zones. This provides critical deterrence and accountability, helping ensure that existing spatial protections are respected rather than eroded. P (Y: 99 N: 0)

HB 855 (Orgeron) establishes minimum depth requirements for the commercial use of purse seines. By
restricting operations to deeper water (22+ feet), this bill reduces harmful interactions with sensitive nearshore habitats and lowers bycatch of recreationally important species such as red drum and spotted seatrout. DNP (Y: 46 N: 49)

HB 872 (Zeringue) requires all commercial menhaden reduction fishery vessels to use an Automatic
Identification System (AIS). Real-time vessel tracking dramatically improves transparency, monitoring, and enforcement capability in a fishery that has historically operated with limited oversight. P (Y: 98 N: 0)

HB 886 (Orgeron) enhances reporting and data collection requirements for commercial menhaden fishing. Reliable, detailed harvest data is essential for science-based management, especially given the significant information gaps that currently limit assessment of stock health and ecosystem impacts. P (Y: 99 N: 2)

Senate Bills (SB):
The following SB statuses are pending in the Senate Committee on Natural Resources.

SB 186 (Fesi) establishes a total allowable catch (TAC) of 315-million-pounds of Gulf Menhaden from Louisiana State waters annually. Nearly 94% of commercial Gulf Menhaden harvest occurs within Louisiana state waters, annually supporting the commercial fisheries’ average harvest weight of more than 1 billion pounds. The proposed 315-million-pound TAC would significantly reduce annual commercial Gulf Menhaden harvest from Louisiana state waters, subsequently reducing negative ecological impacts through reduced bycatch and habitat destruction. AWAITING COMMITTEE HEARING

SB 446 (Fesi) enhances commercial Gulf Menhaden fishery buffers, extending closed fishing areas of all waters seaward from the inside/outside line one-half mile, including up to one-mile in select areas across the coast. AWAITING COMMITTEE HEARING

House Concurrent Resolution (HCR):
The following HCR status indicated by “P” (Passed) and votes.

HCR 5 (Orgeron) create an exception to the prohibition against harvesting red drum larger than the regulatory size limits (slot). Aims to the authorize the department to issue special permits for bull red drum harvest for certain limited tournaments. Where the secretary of LDWF may issue a special permit that allows the taking red drum in excess of the regulatory size limit for registered participants in a tournament or rodeo that meets three eligibility requirements: (1) The event has been held for five years or more, (2) The even has historically held a bull red category, (3) The even is no longer than four days long, once a year. P (Y 11 N: 0).

What Happens Next? Bills (HB & SB)
All House bills moved through committee, but HB 855 was voted unfavorably (Y: 46 N 49) on the House floor, effectively terminating the bill this legislative session. The other three, HB 757, HB 872, and HB 886 were voted favorably on the House floor and will move into the Senate Committee on Natural Resources to be voted on, if voted favorably then will proceed to the senate floor. The House bills would need to clear the senate floor by favorable vote, and receive the Governor’s signature to go into effect. Both Senate bills are awaiting action by the Senate Committee on Natural Resources. When a hearing is
scheduled, the committee must field the bills in a meeting and will either (1) vote favorably, could possibly include amendments, (2) vote unfavorably, or (3) hold it, effectively stalling the bill. The Senate bill process will follow a comparable framework as described for the House bills. If the Senate bills move beyond the Senate committee, they would be sent to the Senate floor to be voted on. If voted favorably on the Senate floor, the bill will proceed to the House Committee on Natural Resources to be voted on. The senate bill will need to clear the House committee, the House floor, and receive the Governor’s signature to go into effect.

What Happens Next? House Concurrent Resolution (HCR)
Since HCR 5 is a resolution and not a bill, therefore its process is slightly different compared to that of bills. Since it passed favorably by the House Committee on Natural Resources, it advances to a third reading awaiting House final passage vote based on a simple majority vote. If it is passed it is transmitted to the Senate, where it will follow a similar process where the Senate Committee on Natural Resources will vote on it, if it passes it goes to a senate floor vote. If both the House and the Senate adopt, the resolution does not require the Governors’ signature, and will then go into effect. Consequently, if the resolution fails on the House passage vote, it dies immediately and does not go to the senate. If it does not get brought up for final passage it will effectively time out and die. If the resolution does not pass at any point in the senate whether in the committee or on the floor the resolution dies and the current regulations remain unchanged. Track bills and resolutions in real time using
the provided links below: Official Louisiana Legislature Bill Search or House Daily Order of Business.

Bills in Context (HB & SB)
Collectively, these bills begin to close longstanding oversight gaps and lay important groundwork for the broader reforms we advocated for in January 2026, including annual TACs based on recent harvest averages, expanded time and area closures, and standardized gear modifications to improve bycatch survival. We view this package as a solid step forward in an effort to balance economic interests with the resiliency of Louisiana’s coastal ecosystem and recreational fisheries. House Concurrent Resolution in Context: HCR 5 sponsored by Representative Orgeron nullifies bycatch arguments towards the commercial Gulf Menhaden fishery, and creates a narrative that niche stakeholder interests hold greater value over the well-being of a highly cherished public natural resource, Louisiana’s red drum stock. Fisheries management is based upon tradeoffs, this is a scenario where the cake cannot be had, and eaten too. The proposition of allowing private entities to be funded through public funds in order to harvest a recently protected, public natural resource is negligent, and a disgrace to the diligent efforts of the state department to actively manage the red drum fishery.

So, What Can You Do?
To express your thoughts on these bills and HCR 5, contact your elected House Representatives and state senators through the links provided below. Continued progress in science-based fisheries management is supported by the passion and engagement of constituents like you. Access contact info for your public officials at the following links: Louisiana House of Representatives and Louisiana Senate.