CCA Louisiana and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries recently completed a new artificial reef in the northern portion of Lake Pontchartrain.

To view photos from a December reef site visit, click here.

The reef – named the “Dudley and Kim Vandenborre Reef” and located in St. Tammany Parish –  honors the man who approached CCA Louisiana with the idea to use the material from the damaged Twin Spans to build artificial reefs in Lake Pontchartrain.

The I-10 Twin Span bridges were severely damaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

The 4-acre reef, located in Lake Pontchartrain at permitted sites between the Interstate 10 and La. 11 bridges, will create an ideal habitat for all sorts of marine species, including speckled trout, redfish, drum and flounder.

December 5, 2011 – The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission approved a notice of intent on the establishment of a free permit for recreational anglers who fish for yellowfin tuna. The information gathered from this permit would provide essential data about who fishes off Louisiana’s coast for yellowfin and how much is harvested each year.

“The current system is based upon data that is often old by the time it is in use,” said Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Assistant Secretary Randy Pausina. “In order to better understand our fisheries resources so that we may better enjoy them, we need to collect information about how and what our anglers are fishing for in waters off Louisiana’s coast.”

House Committee on Natural Resources holds hearing on eight fisheries bills

WASHINGTON, DC – CCA General Counsel Robert G. Hayes, one of the most respected voices on state, federal and international fisheries management issues, testified on Dec. 1, at a hearing of the House Committee on Natural Resources on a number of bills that propose to amend the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the federal legislation that regulates the nation's fisheries.

Nelson/Rubio Bill racing the clock to fix management problems in federal saltwater fisheries

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Nov. 29, 2011– With a December 31 deadline looming, support is surging for legislation to ensure that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service uses sound science to set catch limits for the nation’s fisheries as a Senate version of the Fishery Science Improvement Act was introduced late yesterday by Senators Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.).

As amended in 2006, the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) requires Regional Fishery Management Councils to put in place annual catch limits (ACLs) for every fishery by December 31, 2011. The requirements were intended to end overfishing by 2011 but were predicated on two critical assumptions: catch limit decisions would be based on up-to-date and accurate stock assessments; and there would be improved catch data to better anticipate potential problems in a given fishery. Neither of these obligations has been met.

CCA's Floating Islands Project completed in September is off to a fast start, project managers found during a recent inspection.

The Floating Islands' matrix, which is made of recycled plastic, is comprised of native plant species and will allow them to grow a root system to the water bottom. The plants will trap sediments and eventually grow toward and tie into the remaining marsh, strengthening it into a sustainable, flourishing mass.

The American Sportfishing Association has awarded its prestigious Future of Fishing Award to CCA Louisiana Founder Jack Lawton Jr. for his work nurturing and growing recreational fishing over the past three decades. ASA presented Lawton the award Oct. 14 at its annual conference in New Orleans.

The Future of Fishing Award is given to an individual or organization that has made a special contribution to advancing fishing participation. The award recognizes significant contributions to foster new anglers, encourage family fishing and promote community involvement in fishing events.