House Bill No. by Representative Orgeron proposes the establishment of a red drum tag program under the authority of the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and the wildlife and fisheries commission. The bill enacts R.S. 56:326.7, which allows the commission to create rules and regulations for the purchase of tags that permit the killing of red drum fish exceeding the 27-inch size limit. The program will take into account the health of the red drum population in designated areas when determining the availability of these tags.

The bill sets a fee of $25 for each red drum tag, in addition to any required licensing fees. The funds collected from the sale of these tags will be used to administer the program, with any remaining money being deposited into the Marine Finfish Stock Enhancement Fund. This initiative aims to manage the red drum population effectively while providing a regulated means for anglers to harvest larger fish.