The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) manages the alligator harvest and egg collection program. Alligator harvest tags
are issued for wetland habitats based on estimated number of alligators in each habitat type. Trappers must receive written permission from a
landowner to be issued alligator harvest tags. Egg collection quotas and permits are also issued by the LDWF to alligator ranches were the eggs
are hatched and the hatchlings reared until they reach harvest size. Anyone harvesting eggs must also obtain written permission to collect eggs
from property. LDWF regulations and license forms are available to download: alligator
hunter application and alligator regulations.
Revenues from alligator trapping and egg collections represent a significant source of income to the Lafourche Parish Game and Fish Commission
(Commission). Slighty over sixty alligator tags are allocated for the Lake Field/Lake Long Game and Fish Preserve (Preserve) and 1,050 alligator
eggs were collected
in 2008. A permit is required to harvest alligators or collect alligator eggs from the Preserve, with the Commission collecting a percentage of the
proceeds from these activities.
Solicitation of bids to trap alligators for one year and collect alligator eggs for three years in the Preserve are published in the Official
Journal (The Daily Comet) of Lafourche Parish. Bid deadlines are early July of each year for the harvest of alligators. The next bid solicitation
for alligator eggs will be in 2013. Sealed bids are taken from applicants and opened at a Commission public meeting. Permits are granted to the
highest bidder.
