BATON ROUGE — The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission on Thursday advanced a plan to decrease the size of a no-fishing zone after members of the commercial menhaden fishing industry complained that guidelines put in place last year had cut their haul by up to 25 percent.

The panel last year had restricted menhaden boats to areas at least a half-mile offshore at points west of the Mississippi River. At its meeting Thursday, members voted 4-3 to approve a notice of intent to decrease the buffer zone to a quarter-mile in some areas, but increase it in other areas deemed more sensitive.

Hundreds of recreational anglers in attendance opposed the pullback. They had wanted the commission to push the buffer zone out to a mile offshore. 

Dozens of captains, anglers and others representing menhaden companies like West Bank Fishing and Daybrook Fisheries argued the half-mile buffer zone was negatively impacting their profits. 

"Those two companies, if they go out of business, are hurting two parishes where there is people who need jobs and people who can not find the same good-paying jobs that we have right now," said Commissioner Kevin Sagrera, who proposed scaling back the buffer zone.

The companies said their more than 2,000 Louisiana employees were being harmed by a 20 percent to 25 percent reduction in their catch.

"The lost volume has materially reduced the earnings of every crew member and every shore-based employee and has severely impacted the company's financial performance," said Francois Kuttel, a majority owner of Westbank Fishing.

Recreational fishermen, represented by the Coastal Conservation Association and the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, among others, believed the menhaden industry was rescinding a compromise reached last year. They fear that allowing the menhaden boats closer to shore increases the amount of "bycatch" in which highly sought-after species like redfish and speckled trout get accidentally caught. 

Both sides cited data from a $1 million bycatch study, paid for by LDWF, that was released in July.

After a public comment period that will end Jan. 23, the earliest the changes could go into effect would be March 20.

Menhaden are also referred to as pogy. They are small fish rich with oil and are used in the production of everything from vitamins to lipstick and animal feed. Pogy boats use enormous nets to catch massive schools of fish at a time. With such big nets, unintended catches are virtually unavoidable.

"Grand Isle has a three-mile buffer zone and Grand Terre has a one-mile buffer zone, and we still witness hundreds of bull reds die and wash up on the beach," Keith Bergeron said. He's a charter captain based in Grand Isle.

The Menhaden Fisheries Coalition sent a statement to WBRZ approving of the outcome.

"The vote reflects a careful, science-first approach: state officials studied the issue, listened to stakeholders, and brought forward a proposal that adds new protections and enlarges the total protected footprint, even as it makes targeted, common-sense adjustments where warranted," the Menhaden Fisheries Coalition said. "Paired with the fleet’s standardized hose-end cage gear and ongoing collaboration with stakeholders, this is the right path to keep Louisiana’s fisheries healthy and its coastal communities working."