Last year, the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission voted down a one-mile buffer that was designed to protect our surf zone, our local habitats and our wildlife. Now, Rep. Orgeron is looking to put in place a half-mile buffer. What is our coast worth to us, if not for the wildlife, the ecosystem, and then protection of the fragility that each of them needs; then what about the Louisiana jobs, the sportfishing and the tourism? Tristan Baurick from nola.com looks at the ‘big business of catching tiny fish’ below.

Big business of catching tiny fish won’t be restricted in coastal waters, Louisiana leaders decide

A growing conflict over Louisiana’s largest but perhaps least-known commercial fishery came to a head this week when state leaders rejected a plan to restrict large-scale menhaden fishing near the state’s coastline.

The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission on Thursday voted down a proposal backed by recreational fishing and conservation groups that would have established a menhaden fishing “exclusion zone” to protect fragile coastal habitat and marine species from the long nets and large vessels operated by the menhaden fishing industry. The zone, which would have extended one mile out along the entire Louisiana coastline, mirrored restrictions enacted in other states, including Mississippi and Alabama.

For the full story, visit NOLA.com.