House Bill No. [insert bill number] authorizes the Grand Isle Port Commission to utilize approximately twenty-seven and one-half acres of state water bottoms, water columns, and water surfaces in Bayou Rigaud, Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, for seafood research. This research will focus on an off-bottom oyster culture project in collaboration with the Louisiana Sea Grant program, and it is subject to the approval of relevant state and federal agencies. The bill specifies the geographic boundaries of the area designated for this research, defined by precise coordinates.

Additionally, the bill empowers the commissioner of administration to enter into agreements with the Grand Isle Port Commission to facilitate the use of the specified property. In determining compensation for the use of this state property, the commissioner may take into account potential economic development and other benefits arising from the research activities. The Grand Isle Port Commission is also permitted to engage in a broader seafood research and economic development program in conjunction with the Louisiana Sea Grant program within the designated area.