9/25/2007
Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries

NEW FISHERIES DISASTER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM APPROVED BY CONGRESS - LDWF ANNOUNCES MEETINGS

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) will present general information on the new $41 million federal fisheries disaster assistance program at a series of public information sessions, Sept. 25-27, sponsored by the Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA) and Office of Community Development (OCD).

The LRA and OCD presentations will outline the proposed guidelines for the Fisheries Infrastructure and Assistance Program funded by a $19 million allocation of CDBG funds approved by the LRA.

Following the LRA presentation, LDWF will review the new $41 million federal fisheries disaster assistance program and its intended uses. Funding for a federal fisheries disaster assistance program, aimed at directly assisting fishing industry participants, has been sought by Louisiana fishing industry leaders, Gov. Kathleen Blanco and the Louisiana congressional delegation as part of the recovery funding package following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

The LRA/OCD public information sessions, with LDWF federal funding review,
are scheduled as follows:
6 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2007
Belle Chasse Auditorium
8398 Hwy. 23
Belle Chasse, LA
6 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2007
Cameron Court Room - 3rd floor of the Court House
119 Smith Circle
Cameron, LA   70631
6 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 27, 2007
LSU AgCenter Extension office
1105 West Port Street
Abbeville, LA    70510
6 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2007
Houma, LA - Location details to be announced
Additionally, the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission will be briefed on the federal funding assistance program during their monthly meeting, scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 4 at 9:30 a.m. in Baton Rouge at LDWF headquarters.
To solicit input from fishery organizations, representatives and stakeholders, LDWF will also host a series of meetings scheduled for Oct. 4-12 at LDWF headquarters at 2000 Quail Drive in Baton Rouge.  LDWF will be meeting with individual fishery sectors at the following times:
1:00 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 4, 2007 Charter Boat and Recreational Fisheries
9:30 am, Friday, Oct. 5, 2007 Shrimp Fisheries
1:00 p.m., Friday, Oct. 5, 2007 Menhaden Fisheries
9:30 am, Monday, Oct. 8, 2007 Oyster Fisheries
1:30 p.m., Monday, Oct. 8, 2007 Crab Fisheries
9:30 am, Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2007 Crawfish Fisheries
9:30 am, Friday, Oct. 12, 2007 Freshwater and Saltwater Commercial Finfish Fisheries

For more information on the LDWF federal funding assistance meetings,  contact Martin Bourgeois at 225-765-2401 (mbourgeois@wlf.louisiana.gov).