RS 56:306.5

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RS 56:306.5

§306.5. Records

A. Wholesale/retail seafood dealers, retail seafood dealers, restaurants, and retail grocers shall keep, in the English language:

(1)Records of the quantity and species of fish acquired, the date the fish was acquired, and the name and license number of the wholesale/retail seafood dealer or the out-of-state seller from whom the fish was acquired. When creel limits apply to commercial species, records shall also indicate the number by head count of such species of fish.

(2)Records of the quantity and species of fish sold, the date the fish was sold, and the name and license number of the person to whom the fish was sold. When sold to the consumer, the records shall indicate the quantity, species, and date and shall state that the fish was sold to the consumer.

B.(1) Wholesale/retail seafood dealers purchasing or acquiring fish from commercial fisherman shall complete a commercial receipt form. The commercial receipt form shall be a three-part form signed by both the commercial fisherman and the wholesale/retail seafood dealer or his designee, attesting to that the information required to be provided by each is correct. One part of the receipt form shall be retained by the wholesale/retail seafood dealer, one part shall be transmitted to the commercial fisherman within twenty-four hours of the transaction, and one part shall be transmitted to the secretary of the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries as provided for in R.S. 56:306.6.

(2)The wholesale/retail seafood dealer is responsible for recording on the commercial receipt form that information provided by the commercial fisherman as specified in R.S. 56:303.7, and is responsible for the following information within twenty-four hours of each purchase or transfer of possession of a catch from a commercial fisherman to a wholesale/retail seafood dealer: wholesale/retail seafood dealer's name and license number, commercial fisherman's name, license number and signature, transaction date, species identification, quantity and units of each species, size and condition of each species, unit price of each species, and permit number for species requiring a permit to harvest.

C. The records required under Subsections A and B of this Section shall be maintained for three years and shall be open to inspection by the department.

D. All information, data, and statistics obtained by the department pursuant to this Section shall be used for the equitable and efficient administration and enforcement of the laws pertaining to the fisheries resources of the state and for conservation and management purposes.

E. The names, addresses, and license numbers of commercial fishermen, except oyster fishermen, shall remain confidential, provided such information shall be available to and used by the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries for administrative and enforcement purposes. However, the department may make the names and addresses of commercial fishermen available to public or private entities for financial consideration.

Acts 1986, No. 904, §1; Acts 1997, No. 376, §1; Acts 2000, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 130, §1; Acts 2021, No. 356, §2, eff. Nov. 15, 2021; Acts 2022, No. 631, §1; Acts 2025, No. 91, §1.