By Rene LeBreton
La. Dept. of Wildlife and Fisheries
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) is lifting the long-standing oyster lease moratorium, which has been in effect since 2002.
The moratorium, which halted LDWF’s practice of leasing state-owned water bottoms to private entities for oyster cultivation, was originally instituted by the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission at the request of the Department of Natural Resources and the Governor’s Office under former Governor Mike Foster.