Feb. 20 deadline in fishing lottery

Gueydan — The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is now accepting applications for a lottery to fish the White Lake Wetlands Conservation Area between March 15 and July 31, 2008.

Completed applications must be received by LDWF by close of business on Feb. 20, 2008.

A total of 75 permits will be issued and winning applicants will be notified of their opportunity to purchase a permit for $30. White Lake WCA is located south of Gueydan in Vermilion Parish.

The area that will be open for fishing will be limited to the Florence Canal and oil field location canals off of the Florence Canal. There will be no fishing in any of the WCA’s marsh areas or in the main camp canal or other areas that are marked “NO FISHING.”

Successful applicants will be provided a map of the fishing area. Boats used by permitees will be limited to the use of motors with 40 horsepower or less. Additional rules and regulations are outlined in an attachment to the application.

A non-refundable administrative fee of $5 must accompany each completed application in the form of a check or money order made payable to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.

Only one application per person will be accepted, and submitting more than one application will be considered grounds for disqualification.

Applications may be mailed to: Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Attention: White Lake Fishing, P.O. Box 98000, Baton Rouge, LA 70898. They may also be turned in to Room 461 of the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Headquarters Building, located at 2000 Quail Drive in Baton Rouge.

To obtain an application, call the department at (225) 765-2806 or download a copy from the department’s Web site at www.wlf.louisiana.gov.