Protected Fish in Louisiana
Sturgeons, mussels, sawfish, goliath grouper and the other species Louisiana anglers must release.
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Fish and mussels Louisiana anglers may not keep
The 2026 pamphlet names 10 freshwater species that cannot be harvested, sturgeons and mussels among them, and 9 saltwater animals that are prohibited. Release any of them at once.
From the 2026 Louisiana Recreational Fishing Regulations (LDWF pamphlet, updated September 21, 2026); read October 28, 2026.
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- Pink Mucket Mussel (Lampsilis abrupta)cannot be harvested
- Fat Pocketbook Mussel (Potamilus capax)cannot be harvested
- Louisiana Pearlshell Mussel (Margaritifera hembeli)cannot be harvested
- Rabbitsfoot Mussel (Theliderma cylindrica)cannot be harvested
- Louisiana Pigtoe Mussel (Pleurobema riddellii)cannot be harvested
- Gulf Sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi)cannot be harvested
- Texas Heelsplitter Mussel (Potamilus amphichaenus)cannot be harvested
- Pallid Sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus)cannot be harvested
- Inflated Heelsplitter Mussel (Potamilus inflatus)cannot be harvested
- Shovelnose Sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus platorynchus)cannot be harvested
Louisiana saltwater species that are prohibited
- All whalesprohibited
- Dolphin (mammal)prohibited
- Goliath grouperprohibited
- Gulf sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi)prohibited
- Largetooth sawfishprohibited
- Nassau grouperprohibited
- Sea turtlesprohibited
- Smalltooth sawfishprohibited
- West Indian manateeprohibited
Prohibited sharks: Atlantic angel shark, sand tiger shark, dusky shark, bigeye sand tiger shark, sixgill shark, largetooth sawfish, bigeye thresher shark, smalltooth sawfish, shortfin mako, narrowtooth shark, Caribbean reef shark, white shark, Caribbean sharpnose shark, basking shark, sevengill shark, Galapagos shark, bigeye sixgill shark, smalltail shark, longfin mako, bignose shark, whale shark and night shark. No sandbar or silky sharks may be retained under a recreational bag limit. White shark: catch and release with rod and reel only.
Fish Louisiana bans without permission
All species of tilapia; Carp (except koi, common carp and goldfish); Freshwater electric eel; Rudd; All members of the families of Asian swamp eels, snakeheads, walking catfishes, and pencil catfishes. Exotic species of Asian carp (silver, bighead, black and grass) taken from state waters must not be returned to the water alive and may not be possessed alive. No person shall have in possession or sell in this state a piranha, Rio Grande cichlid or apple snail.
Telling Louisiana protected fish apart
Pallid Sturgeon
no take
Shovelnose Sturgeon
no take
Goliath Grouper
no take
Nassau Grouper
no take
These pictures show each fish itself rather than any Louisiana water.
No-take fish rules in Louisiana, asked and answered
Can I keep a Gulf sturgeon in Louisiana?
No; Gulf, pallid and shovelnose sturgeon are all on the cannot-harvest list.
Which mussels are protected?
Pink Mucket Mussel, Fat Pocketbook Mussel, Louisiana Pearlshell Mussel, Rabbitsfoot Mussel, Louisiana Pigtoe Mussel, Texas Heelsplitter Mussel and Inflated Heelsplitter Mussel, as listed in the 2026 pamphlet.
Can I keep a goliath grouper?
No; goliath and Nassau grouper are prohibited in Louisiana waters.
Which sharks are prohibited?
Atlantic angel shark, sand tiger shark, dusky shark, bigeye sand tiger shark, sixgill shark, largetooth sawfish, bigeye thresher shark, smalltooth sawfish, shortfin mako, narrowtooth shark, Caribbean reef shark, white shark, Caribbean sharpnose shark, basking shark, sevengill shark, Galapagos shark,
What should I do with Asian carp?
Silver, bighead, black and grass carp taken from state waters must not be returned alive and may not be possessed alive.
Are tilapia and snakeheads allowed?
No; all tilapia and snakeheads, among others, are prohibited without LDWF permission.
What if I hook a sawfish?
Release it at once; largetooth and smalltooth sawfish are prohibited.
Are alligator gar protected in Louisiana?
No; they fall under the pamphlet row for other freshwater fish, which prints no daily limit, so they are not on the no-take list.