Fishermen and a dedicated group of environmental and conservation organizations are celebrating this Easter season with more joy than previous years.
That’s because last week’s ruling from the federal court of the Middle District of ¶¶Òõh, in essence, stopped the Corps of Engineers from continuing its East Grand Lake Project.
This battle between commercial fishermen (mostly crawfishing interests) and recreational anglers was joined by a handful of groups to fight sediment diversion projects in what they considered to be a “...destroying and degrading wetlands and flood capacity†in what was a highly productive area in the Atchafalaya Basin.
The result of the project’s early efforts was reduced water quality and vast low-dissolved oxygen areas that brought fishermen to argue against the plan.
When sediment began building up, the growing concern hinged on the basin’s reduced ability to carry floodwaters, the main reason the basin was designed to be a “spillway†during the Mississippi River’s high-water periods.
The Atchafalaya Basin is our country’s largest overflow swamp.
“Winning this lawsuit is a huge win for the fishermen, and stopping the East Grand Lake Project will save the Basin from filling in,†LCPA-West president Avery Theriot said. “They need to stop all the projects in the Basin that are similar. The fishermen have been fighting these projects for almost 30 years and our voices are finally heard.â€
Snapper season
Both 2026 red snapper seasons are set now that the Gulf Council has informed that the federally permitted charterboat operations season will open June 1 and run for 147 days through Oct. 25.
The private recreational red snapper season, which is under state management, will open May 1.
The federal charterboat season is based on taking 42.3% of the total red snapper recreational allotment of 7,991,900 pounds (whole weight) — the private sector gets 57.7% of that allotment — which gives the federal permit holders 3,380,574 pounds across the Gulf of America.
Commission meeting
The Wildlife and Fisheries Commission is taking its Thursday monthly meeting on the road to Vidalia.
Set to convene at 10 a.m. in the Vidalia Conference and Convention Center (112 Front St.), the meeting will have a live audio/video stream via Zoom.
Several Vidalia-area projects are on the agenda, including updates on nearby waterways, a presentation on the Richard Yancey Wildlife Management Area and another step via emergency declaration to add lands to the Chronic Wasting Disease Control Area.
Other agenda items include:
• A new approach to invasive species management.
• Introducing the Mississippi River Basin Fishery Commission.
• Public comment received on the proposed resident game, migratory birds, and waterfowl and bear hunting seasons.
• And updates on state legislature action on bills involving the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.
Father-child camp
Although a month away, it’s best if families reserve a place soon for the May 1-2 Father-Child Families Understanding Nature Camp set for Wildlife and Fisheries’ Woodworth Education Center in Woodworth south of Alexandria.
Children must be between 9-13 years old and space is limited. Fees run $50 per family (an additional child is $25) and includes meals, lodging and supplies, including tents, but bed linens and sleeping bags are not provided.