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House rejects bill to push menhaden fishing beyond 22-foot contour after heated floor fight
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Summary
Lawmakers defeated HB 8 55, a bill that would have required commercial menhaden (pogy) purse-seine fishing to occur in waters 22 feet deep or more. Proponents cited scientific studies about bycatch and habitat protection; opponents warned of jobs lost and questioned enforcement feasibility. Vote was 45–48, so the bill failed.
A contentious debate over menhaden fishing rules ended with the Louisiana House voting down HB 8 55 on April 14 by a 45–48 margin.
Representative Aujourn, the bill’s sponsor, said the 22-foot depth threshold is grounded in recent science and would reduce bycatch of sport-fish nursery species such as redfish and speckled trout. "We spent a $1,000,000 of taxpayer money putting scientists on these boats," Aujourn said, urging a modest, science-based step to protect nearshore nursery habitat.
Opponents, including coast-area members and industry representatives, said the change would cause severe job and economic losses for coastal communities. Representative Brode described the industry as generational and warned that the bill would harm thousands of jobs in coastal parishes; Representative Omidy, speaking in opposition, said the measure had significant potential to harm an industry that supports over 2,000 jobs in coastal Louisiana.
Members pressed on enforceability and local impacts. Questions on how enforcement would determine depth at sea prompted sponsors to point to a coastal-relief model and GPS coordinates used by wildlife enforcement; opponents said prior studies and the wildlife commission’s previous decisions (half-mile buffers and adjustments) undercut the need for the legislature to override agency recommendations.
The floor included appeals to local economies and repeated references to scientific testimony. After extended debate and several members explaining district impacts, the clerk closed the machine and announced the bill failed by recorded vote, 45 yeas and 48 nays.
Separately on the floor, lawmakers approved HB 8 72, a narrower measure requiring automatic identification systems on menhaden reduction vessels to aid enforcement and transparency.
