February 12, 2026 — Agents with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries used an aerial drone to spot an individual illegally harvesting hundreds of pounds of oysters in February.
While on an early morning patrol of the Sister Lake Oyster Seed Reservation 3 February, agents decided to fly an aerial drone overhead to observe an individual harvesting oysters from a vessel. Oyster season in the area had already been closed for more than a month.
February 10, 2026 — A new peer-reviewed study in PLOS One sheds light on why some beaked whale species are more detectable than others using passive acoustic monitoring. Researchers examined how differences in species-specific diving and echolocation behaviors affect the ability to detect beaked whales using underwater listening devices. Beaked whales are one of the ocean’s most elusive groups of whales.
The findings are particularly important for the Gulf of America (formerly the Gulf of Mexico), a heavily industrialized region where reliable beaked whale population estimates are needed. A recent study found that beaked whale populations in the Gulf may have declined by as much as 83 percent since the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. This highlights the need to better understand them to conserve them effectively.
Beaked whales are notoriously difficult to study because they spend little time at the surface to be seen during traditional infrequent visual surveys (vessel and aerial). Passive acoustic monitoring offers a powerful alternative as continuous data is recorded for months at a time. However, this method requires knowledge of whale behavior to understand how to interpret the detection of whale sounds for population monitoring.
The study shows that detectability varies among beaked whale species, as does their dive and echolocation behavior. Goose-beaked whales (Ziphius cavirostris), for example, were detectable for longer periods than Blainville’s (Mesoplodon densirostris) or Gervais’ (Mesoplodon europaeus) beaked whales. Goose-beaked whales performed deeper foraging dives, often close to the seafloor, and produced clicks with higher source levels. These behavioral differences significantly increase the likelihood of detecting goose-beaked whales compared to the other two species.
February 2, 2026 — The Louisiana Shrimp Association issued a sharp public response this week after it said CCA Louisiana tagged the group in a Facebook post it described as an attempt to draw shrimpers into an attack on Louisiana’s menhaden fishery.
According to their site, CCA (Coastal Conservation Association) Louisiana is a non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of Louisiana’s marine resources. Their work also includes influencing how the state’s fisheries are managed, including pushing for regulatory outcomes that often conflict with commercial fishing perspectives.
Saving Seafood reported what the shrimpers wrote in a statement, “Let us be absolutely clear about where we stand…attempting to drag us into their ongoing attack on commercial fisheries.” Showing CCA’s broader campaign against working fishermen.
In the statement, the shrimpers pointed to what they described as a long series of policy losses for commercial fishermen in Louisiana, including the loss of gill net fisheries, restrictions on mullet fishing, and the designation of redfish and speckled trout as game fish- moves they said have steadily narrowed access to traditional fisheries.
Jan. 29, 2026 — The Louisiana Shrimp Association issued a forceful public response after it said CCA Louisiana tagged the group in a Facebook post that appeared designed to bait shrimpers into joining an attack on Louisiana’s menhaden fishery. “Let us be absolutely clear about where we stand,” the association wrote as it rejected any effort to enlist the shrimp industry in CCA’s menhaden messaging.
In its statement, the shrimpers wrote that CCA Louisiana was “attempting to drag us into their ongoing attack on commercial fisheries,” and framed the episode as part of a broader campaign against working fishermen. “CCA has systematically worked to destroy the way of life of Louisiana’s commercial fishermen,” the statement continued. “Through misleading propaganda and back-room political pressure, they have stripped working fishermen of our rights and our livelihoods.”
The shrimpers cited a series of fishery policy fights it says have steadily narrowed opportunity for commercial harvesters in Louisiana. “Commercial fishermen have lost the right to fish with gill nets,” the statement said. “We are prohibited from fishing mullet at night and on weekends, wiping out our entire winter fishery and the income that sustained our families. Redfish and speckled trout were pushed into ‘game fish’ status, completely removing commercial fishermen from those fisheries.”
With those options reduced many commercial fishing families have become increasingly dependent on shrimp, but only seasonally. “Now, many commercial fishermen are left with shrimp as our only primary income, and only for about six months out of the year,” the association wrote, warning that shrimpers could be next. “We watched what CCA tried to do to shrimpers in North Carolina last year. We know exactly what is coming next. After menhaden, they are coming for the shrimpers, and the Louisiana Shrimp Association is being targeted simply for standing with menhaden fishermen.”
The post that triggered the response was published by CCA Louisiana on January 24, 2026, and highlighted comments from Andrew Godley, identified as the founder and president of Parish Brewing Company. In that post, Godley claimed “one of the ugliest impacts” of the menhaden fishery is its relationship to farmed shrimp overseas, arguing that menhaden-based fishmeal helps make imported farmed shrimp cheaper and therefore harmful to domestic shrimpers. Godley also asserted that Louisiana’s menhaden policy effectively subsidizes foreign shrimp farms by allowing “free, unlimited removal” of menhaden used as feed.
The Louisiana Shrimp Association’s response criticized CCA’s goals for commercial fishing in the state. “Let there be no confusion about the end game: CCA will not stop until every commercial fishery is shut down,” the statement said. “This is not conservation—it is greed and control.”
As part of its criticism, the association raised what it described as a core fairness issue: reporting and accountability. “If CCA truly cared about conservation, they would support accountability for everyone, not just commercial fishermen,” the statement continued. “Every commercial fishery—shrimp, crabs, oysters, crawfish, menhaden, and finfish—must report every pound we harvest through trip tickets. Meanwhile, recreational fisheries remove massive amounts of fish from Louisiana waters without reporting a single fish. That hypocrisy must end.”
The statement called for legislative action to impose reporting requirements on the recreational sector and organizations involved in the policy fight. “We call on the Louisiana Legislature to take immediate action and require recreational organizations and fisheries, including CCA, to report their catch,” the association wrote. “Conservation without accountability is meaningless.”
The association urged the public and lawmakers to oppose what it described as incremental attacks on commercial livelihoods. “To the public: stand with the working men and women who have fed this state for generations,” the statement said. “To our legislators: stop allowing one special-interest group to dismantle Louisiana’s commercial fishing industry piece by piece.”
The shrimpers concluded by unequivocally refusing to ally with any campaign against another fishery: “Commercial fishermen will never take sides with CCA, and we will not be used to help shut down any fishery. The Louisiana Shrimp Association stands united with all commercial fishermen—menhaden, shrimp, and every working fishery in Louisiana and across this country.”
January 26, 2026 — Alabama Senators Tommy Tuberville and Katie Britt joined a group of Gulf Coast lawmakers in urging federal regulators to crack down on illegal fishing by Mexican vessels in U.S. waters, warning the practice undercuts American fishermen, threatens fish stocks and fuels cartel activity.
Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-LA, led a Jan. 14 letter to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration calling on the agency to use its import restriction authority and other enforcement tools to stop illegally harvested red snapper from entering U.S. markets according to a news release. Cassidy and other Gulf lawmakers said enforcement at sea alone has not been enough to deter the activity.
“We write to express concern regarding the continued illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing for red snapper by Mexican vessels operating in U.S. waters in the Gulf of America. The Coast Guard has demonstrated sustained and effective operational enforcement through repeated interdictions and seizures; however, the continued presence of Mexican lanchas in U.S. waters suggests that enforcement at sea, by itself, is insufficient to eliminate the incentive to fish illegally. We urge the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to use its import-restriction authorities, and other applicable authorities, to address this problem in a targeted and proportionate manner that supports law-abiding U.S. fisheries,” the senators wrote.
January 21, 2026 — Louisiana has long relied on science to guide its management of natural resources, including energy, agriculture, and fisheries. That approach is now under scrutiny as the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission reviews proposed changes to the state’s menhaden buffer zone regulations, according to an article by the Louisiana Commercial Fisheries Coalition, reported by NOLA.com.
For decades, Louisiana’s menhaden fishery operated under strict coastal limits and has been continuously monitored and independently assessed. Peer-reviewed stock assessments have consistently found that menhaden are not overfished and that overfishing is not occurring, the article reported.
That began to change in 2021, when the state imposed additional blanket buffer restrictions along the coast. Those measures were designed largely to reduce user conflict with the recreational fishing sector, even though Louisiana-specific data to justify the changes did not yet exist. The result was a one-size-fits-all regulatory approach applied to a highly diverse coastline.
Louisiana’s menhaden fleet consists of just 27 vessels, compared to more than 400,000 licensed saltwater anglers statewide. The expanded buffer zones closed traditional fishing grounds that later scientific analysis showed posed little environmental risk. The closures had real economic consequences for menhaden fishermen, processing plant workers, and the coastal communities that rely on year-round commercial fishing jobs.
January 20, 2026 — Louisiana has long relied on science to guide how it manages its natural resources. From energy to agriculture to fisheries, legislators and regulators have invested in research, monitoring, and expert oversight to ensure decisions are grounded in evidence rather than assumption.
That commitment is now being tested as the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission reviews the state’s menhaden buffer zone.
How We Got Here
For decades, Louisiana’s menhaden fishery operated under strict coastal limits and remained sustainable. The fishery has been continuously monitored, independently assessed, and confirmed as healthy by peer-reviewed stock assessments. Menhaden are not overfished, and overfishing is not occurring.
But beginning in 2021, additional blanket buffer restrictions were imposed to reduce user conflict with the recreational fishing sector. Many of these measures were accepted in good faith, even though Louisiana-specific data did not yet exist to support them. The rules applied a one-size-fits-all approach to a coastline that is anything but uniform.
To put the issue in perspective, Louisiana has more than 400,000 licensed saltwater anglers and just 27 menhaden vessels. Yet broad restrictions closed traditional fishing grounds that science later showed posed little environmental risk. The result was real economic harm to Louisiana menhaden fishermen, processing plant workers, and coastal communities that depend on these year-round commercial fishing jobs.
January 8, 2026 — On a late afternoon in early November, Xochitl Bervera launches The Roxie Girl from St. George Island into the gentle waters of Florida’s Apalachicola Bay. Almost as soon as the boat gets up to speed, she kills the motor and drifts the final feet toward her destination: a 2.5-acre grid of buoys and bags floating in Rattlesnake Cove. This is her farm, Water Is Life Oysters.
Bervera and her partner, Kung Li, launched the business in 2022, not long after the state implemented a five-year ban on harvesting the bay’s beloved but imperiled wild oysters, leaving the surrounding community without its economic engine and sense of identity.
As the sun sinks toward the horizon, Kung Li hauls in a bag of oysters and samples a mollusk to be sure it meets muster. They pop it open with a twist of an oyster knife and find everything that has made Apalachicola oysters famous for generations: briny liquor surrounding firm, sweet meat. “That,” Kung Li exclaims, “is a good oyster.” They put five bags on ice.
Oysters have been eaten for millennia from this estuary, where freshwater from the Apalachicola River meets the salty Gulf of Mexico to form an ideal breeding ground. In its heyday, the bay supplied 90 percent of Florida’s oysters and 10 percent of the country’s. But after a 2013 fishery failure all but wiped out a $9 million annual harvest that once supported 2,500 jobs, the state officially closed the bay in 2020 for five years.
Since the closure, locally farmed oysters—Crassostrea virginica, the same species as their wild predecessors—are the closest thing anyone’s had to that old familiar flavor. Water Is Life is among a few dozen farms that have attempted to fill the void, hoping to preserve the bay’s oyster culture while the state embarks on a costly reef restoration. Bervera, a former criminal justice organizer, and Kung Li, a former civil rights lawyer, harbor a vision for a revived Apalachicola Bay. They believe a vibrant local food system can once again feed this community and restore dignified jobs that protect the bay’s health rather than diminish it.
“I look around the country and maybe that’s not possible in many places any more,” Bervera says, “but it’s very possible here.”
In a controversial decision, the state reopened the commercial oyster fishery on Jan. 1, leaving this small community on the Forgotten Coast—named for its relative quiet and lack of development—anxious about its economic future. If the oysters come back, so will the industry. If they don’t, roughly 5,000 residents in Apalachicola and its neighbor Eastpoint fear their towns will be overtaken by resort-style development like so much of Florida’s coastline, pushing out both their culture and their communities.
It’s a heavy weight to rest on a 3-inch mollusk.
January 5, 2026 — A recent Advocate/Times-Picayune article examined what Louisiana anglers caught in 2025 and what those numbers could suggest about the health of our most popular sport fish. It highlighted an important truth that every policymaker, fisherman, and coastal resident needs to recognize:
Louisiana’s fisheries challenges are real, complex, and cannot be reduced to simple narratives or blamed on convenient villains.
Speckled trout remain the most popular recreational catch in Louisiana. Red drum and white trout continue to define our coastal identity. At the same time, state biologists and anglers are watching long-term trends closely and evaluating how environmental conditions, fishing pressure, and policy changes are affecting populations.
Here is what the science and experts continue to point to:
Notably, the article did not identify the Gulf menhaden fishery as a driver of declines in speckled trout or red drum. If scientific evidence clearly linked menhaden harvest to those issues, Louisiana biologists, federal fisheries experts, and responsible journalists would say so. Instead, the discussion continues to focus where the strongest science points: habitat loss, environmental stress, and long-term ecological cycles.
December 15, 2025 — Louisiana’s coast supports a wide variety of uses, including conservation, recreation, commercial fishing, energy, and shipping. The debate over menhaden harvest and the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission (LWFC)’s proposed Notice of Intent reflects how difficult it is to balance those interests using science-based decision making.
Recent commentary has raised concerns about the sustainability of Gulf menhaden and the impact of modifying buffer zones. Some of this misleading pressure has come from out-of-state advocacy groups unfamiliar with Louisiana’s working waters. It has led people to ask how the fishery is managed and what the proposed changes would mean on the water.
Louisiana’s menhaden fishery produces over $419 million in annual economic output and provides livelihoods for more than 2,000 people in the industry and its supply chain. Menhaden also serve its ecosystem role as forage for gamefish and recreational fisheries.
In a debate full of online noise, facts still matter most.