Auditor Says Louisiana Under-Prices Its Oyster Leases
SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Times Picayune] By Benjamin Alexander-Bloch - March 3, 2015 -
Louisiana oyster lease rates, the possible impact of proposed sediment diversions on the crop, and the potential for lifting a moratorium on new private leases and opening up additional oyster cultivation areas all were discussed in a report released Monday (March 2) by Legislative Auditor Daryl Purpera.
Louisiana has the second-lowest rate for oyster leases and one of the lowest lease application fees among the top six states that produce Eastern oysters, which is the type of oyster that Louisiana produces. The other state oyster lease programs examined in the study conducted by the Legislative Auditor's performance audit section were Florida, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Texas, and Virginia.
There are 402,579 acres privately leased in Louisiana, and there are 666,457 acres of additional state-owned water bottoms that would be available and suitable for lease if the state moratorium on issuing new oyster leases were lifted, according to the audit.
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