Committee approves charter‑guide WMA access permit to streamline recreational charters on wildlife management areas
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Summary
Lawmakers approved HB 835 to create an optional $100 charter‑guide wildlife management area access permit that allows captains to bring paying recreational anglers onto WMAs while not retaining catch; department staff said regulations will require Coast Guard credentials and reporting requirements.
Representative Schammerhorn presented House Bill 835 to create a voluntary charter‑guide access permit for wildlife management areas (WMAs). The permit — a $100 license available to charter captains — is intended to streamline compliance so clients do not each need to buy separate WMA access permits.
Cole Garrett, general counsel for the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, said the department worked with the Louisiana Charter Boat Association and that guides would not be allowed to retain catch when operating on WMAs; the permit is designed to make out‑of‑area recreational access more straightforward while protecting resource rules. Garrett said regulations would address credential requirements (including U.S. Coast Guard licensing) and reporting obligations so the department can track use and impacts.
Committee members asked about the scope (statewide vs. local WMAs) and whether non‑consumptive ecotourism had precedents; the department noted similar licensing exists for non‑consumptive activities and that WMAs use a check‑in/check‑out system. With limited debate the committee reported HB 835 favorable; a roll call was taken after an objection was registered earlier in the session.
