Portions of Elmer’s Island to Open in Louisiana

Louisiana Dept. of Wildlife and Fisheries 02.19.13

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) is temporarily opening a section of beach along the Elmer’s Island Refuge effective immediately. The open section will include the area at the end of the access road and continue approximately 0.5 miles to the east. Areas that will remain closed will be clearly marked.

After the opening, road access to Elmer’s Island opens 30 minutes before sunrise and closes 30 minutes after sunset seven days a week. Night-time access and fishing on the island remain closed, and camping on the beach is strictly prohibited.

The refuge was closed on August 26, 2012 in anticipation of Hurricane Isaac, and has remained closed due to road conditions and continual oiling events. Elmer’s Island continues to experience re-oiling and heavy clean-up operations are ongoing. Clean-up areas will be clearly marked. Visitors are asked to exercise caution when accessing this area.

Although the beach will be open for day-time public access, workers and state officials will continue to monitor the shoreline in order to continue to respond to oiling impacts. The probationary opening will be assessed after a period of 10 days, and is subject to reconsideration. Any sightings of oil should be reported to LDWF at (800) 442-2511 and the National Response Center (NRC) at (800) 424-8802.

LDWF asks the public not to cross areas covered with water. Winds and wave energy from Hurricane Isaac created washovers which can be covered in water during high tides.

For a map detailing the specific areas open click here:

Louisiana Dept. of Wildlife and Fisheries

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries – Enforcement Division(LDWF) is the fish & game regulatory agency of Louisiana. It has jurisdictionanywhere in the state, and in state territorial waters. The agency enforces both state and federal laws dealing with hunting, fishing, and boating safety. The agency also enforces criminal laws in rural areas including DWI enforcement both on highways and waterways. Most of the Department’s Wildlife Agents also carry Federal law enforcement commissions issued from the United States Department of the Interior - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and United States Department of Commerce - U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). These federal commissions allow these state officers to enforce federal migratory waterfowl laws and federal marine fisheries laws in state and federal waters off the coast of Louisiana. Besides their traditional role as a “game warden”, Louisiana Wildlife Enforcement Agents also have a number of other responsibilities, including conducting board of health inspections on some portions of the state’s commercial fishing industry. Agents are trained in and conduct numerous search and rescue operations, both in remote land areas and on the state’s waterways. Agents ensure that hunters, anglers, boaters, dealers, breeders, farmers, and transporters are in compliance with regulations governing equipment, quotas, licenses, and registrations. Agents also assist other State departments and law enforcement agencies in the coordination of educational and professional endeavors, as well as national and state emergency alerts by the Federal Office of Emergency Preparedness. In addition, agents perform search and rescue missions alone or in conjunction with other local, state, and federal agencies.