Louisiana’s open trapping season: Nov 20th – Mar 31st

Coastwide Nutria Control Program Status Reports

(Updated September 2, 2022)

2021-2022 Nutria Control Program

  • 203,824 nutria tails worth $1,222,944 in incentive payments were collected from 200 active participants
  • S.t Mary Parish turned in the most tails (44,085), followed by Terrebonne (41,530), and Plaquemines (19,071) Parishes.
  • The fewest tails turned in by a participant was 13 and the greatest number turned in by a participant was 9,778. 33% of total registered participants turned in more than 800 tails.
  • 50% of the nutria were harvested by rifle, 16% trapped, and 35% with a shotgun
  • The 2022 Nutria Herbivory Survey was completed in April 2022, there were 1,248 acres damaged along transect lines, which extrapolates to 4,682 acres coastwide.

Click here to view the 2021-2022 Nutria Harvest and Damage Report

2020-2021 Nutria Control Program

  • 312,118 nutria tails worth $1,872,708 in incentive payments were collected from 284 active participants
  • Plaquemines Parish turned in the most tails (62,617), followed by Terrebonne (60,750), and St. Mary (46,572) Parishes
  • The fewest tails turned in by a participant was 11 and the greatest number turned in by a participant (a group of commercial fishermen) was 27,209. 35% of total registered participants turned in more than 800 tails.
  • 58% of the nutria were harvested by rifle, 17% trapped, and 25% with a shotgun
  • The 2021 Nutria Herbivory Survey was completed in May 2021, there were 2,250 acres damaged along transect lines, which extrapolates to 8,436 acres coastwide

Click here to view the 2020-2021 Nutria Harvest and Damage Report

2019-2020 Nutria Control Program

  • 245,865 nutria tails worth $1,475,190 in incentive payments were collected from 259 active participants
  • Plaquemines Parish turned in the most tails (62,380), followed by Terrebonne (42,208), and St. Mary (27,963) Parishes
  • The fewest tails turned in by a participant was 3 and the greatest number turned in by a participant was 12,281. 34%of total registered participants turned in more than 800 tails.
  • 62% of the nutria were harvested by rifle, 19% trapped, and 19% with a shotgun
  • The 2020 Nutria Herbivory Survey was completed in June 2020, there were 3,654 acres damaged along transect lines, which extrapolates to 13,702 acres coastwide

Click here to view the 2019-2020 Nutria Harvest and Damage Report

2018-2019 Nutria Control Program

  • 223,155 nutria tails worth $1,115,775 in incentive payments were collected from 241 active participants
  • Terrebonne Parish turned in the most tails (51,960), followed by Plaquemines (39,657), and St. Mary (19,458) Parishes
  • 86 (36%) participants turned in less than 200 tails, 49 (20%) turned in 200-499 tails, 28 (12%) turned in 500-799 tails, and 78 (32%) turned in >800 tails
  • 55% of the nutria were harvested by rifle, 27% trapped, and 18% with a shotgun
  • The 2019 Nutria Herbivory Survey was completed May 23rd, there were 3,907 acres damaged along transect lines, which extrapolates to 14,652 acres coastwide

Click here to view the 2018-2019 Nutria Harvest and Damage Report

2017-2018 Nutria Control Program

  • 170,471 nutria tails worth $852,355 in incentive payments were collected from 263 active participants
  • Terrebonne Parish turned in the most tails (40,581), followed by Plaquemines (29,474) and St. Mary (26,869) Parishes
  • 103 (39%) of participants less than 200 tails, 75 (29%) turned in 200-499 tails, 23 (9%) turned in 500-799 tails, and 62 (24%) turned in more than 800 tails
  • 58% of the nutria were harvested by rifle, 27% trapped, and 15% harvested by shotgun
  • 432 people registered for the program, but only 263 participants harvested nutria and turned in tails
  • The 2018 nutria herbivory damage survey was completed in April. There were a total 4,380 acres of damage observed along transect lines, which extrapolates to 16,424 acres of nutria damage coastwide

Click here to view the 2017-2018 Nutria Harvest and Damage Report

2016-2017 Nutria Control Program

  • 16,052 nutria tails worth $1,080,260 in incentive payments were collected from 228 active participants
  • Terrebonne Parish turned in the most tails (48,411), followed by Plaquemines (33,684), and St. Mary (32,102) Parishes
  • 89 (29%) of participants turned in less than 200 tails, 39 (17%) turned in 200-499 tails, 33 (14%) 500-799, and 67 (29%) turned in more than 800 tails
  • 58% of the nutria were harvested by rifle, 28% were trapped, and 14% harvested by shotgun
  • 384 people registered for the program, but only 228 participants harvested nutria and turned in tails
  • The 2017 nutria herbivory damage survey was completed in June. There were a total of 1,564 acres of damage observed along transect lines, which extrapolates to 5,866 acres of nutria damage coastwide

Click here to view the 2016-2017 Nutria Harvest and Damage Report

2015-2016 Nutria Control Program

  • 349,235 nutria tails worth $1,746,175 in incentive payments were collected from 274 active participants.
  • Terrebonne Parish turned in the most tails, 93,301. St. Martin and Plaquemines Parishes followed with 50,202 and 46,672 respectively.
  • 80 (29%) participants turned in less than 200 tails, 49 (18%) participants turned in between 200-499 tails, 35 (13%) participants turned in between 500-799 tails, 56 (20%) participants turned in between 800-1,999 tails, 18 (7%) participants turned in between 2,000-2,999 tails, 13 (5%) participants turned in between 3,000-3,999 tails, and 23 (8%) participants turned in greater than 4,000 tails.
  • 65% of the nutria harvested were taken by rifle, 26% were trapped, and 8% were shot with a shot gun.
  • 413 applications were processed for the program in 2015-2016, but only 274 participants were active.
  • The 2016 vegetative damage survey was completed in April 2016. The survey yielded a total of 1,732 acres of damage along transect lines. When extrapolated, there are 6,496 acres impacted coastwide by nutria herbivory.

Click here to view the 2015-2016 Nutria Harvest and Damage Report

2014-2015 Nutria Control Program

  • 341,708 nutria tails worth $1,708,540 in incentive payments were collected from 266 active participants.

  • Terrebonne turned in the most tails, 114, 373, followed by St. Martin and St. Mary parishes with 50,392 and 40,045 respectively.
  • 73 (27%) participants turned in less than 200 tails, 59 (22%) participants turned in between 200-499 tails, 28 (11%) participants turned in between 500-799 tails, and 106 (40%) participants turned in 800 or more tails.
  • 64% of the nutria harvested were taken by rifle, 29% were trapped, and 7% were shot with a shot gun.
  • A total of 386 applications were processed.
  • The 2015 vegetative damage survey was completed in May. The survey yielded a total of 1,602 acres of damage along transect lines. When extrapolated, there are 6,008 acres impacted coastwide by nutria herbivory.

Click here to view the entire 14-15 Nutria Harvest and Damage report

2013-2014 Nutria Control Program

  • 388,264 nutria tails worth $1,941,320 in incentive payments were collected from 281 active participants.
  • Terrebonne turned in the most tails, 130,952. St. Mary and St. Martin Parish followed with 58,229 and 54,027 respectively.
  • 78 (28%) participants turned in less than 200 tails, 52 (19%) participants turned in between 200-499 tails, 35 (12%) participants turned in between 500-799 tails, and 116 (41%) participants turned in 800 or more tails.
  • 67% of the nutria harvested were taken by rifle, 27% were trapped, and 6% were shot with a shot gun.
  • A total of 391 applications were processed.
  • The 2014 vegetative damage survey was completed in May. The survey yielded a total of 1,115 acres of damage along transect lines. When extrapolated, there are 4,181 acres impacted coastwide by nutria herbivory.

Click here to view the entire 13-14 Nutria Harvest and Damage report

2012-2013 Nutria Control Program

  • 388,160 nutria tails worth $1,940,800 in incentive payments were collected from 252 active participants.
  • Terrebonne turned in the most tails, 138,305. St. Mary and Lafourche Parish followed with 64,386 and 47,723 respectively.
  • 66 (26%) participants turned in less than 200 tails, 53 (21%) participants turned in between 200-499 tails, 28 (11%) participants turned in between 500-799 tails, and 105 (42%) participants turned in 800 or more tails.
  • 59% of the nutria harvested were taken by rifle, 30% were trapped, and 11% were shot with a shot gun.
  • A total of 394 applications were processed.
  • The 2013 vegetative damage survey was completed in April. The survey yielded a total of 1,233 acres of damage along transect lines. When extrapolated, there are 4,624 acres impacted coastwide by nutria hebivory.

Click here to view the entire 12-13 Nutria Harvest and Damage report

2011-2012 Nutria Control Program

  • 354,354 nutria tails worth $1,771,770 in incentive payments were collected from 285 active participants.
  • Terrebonne turned in the most tails, 85,587. Plaquemines and St. Mary Parish followed with 71,879 and 45,859 respectively.
  • 88 (31%) participants turned in less than 200 tails, 50 (16%) participants turned in between 200-499 tails, 33 (12%) participants turned in between 500-799 tails, and 114 (40%) participants turned in 800 or more tails.
  • 62% of the nutria harvested were taken by rifle, 33% were trapped, and 5% were shot with a shot gun.
  • A total of 454 applications were processed.
  • The 2012 vegetative damage survey was completed in April. The survey yielded a total of 1,129 acres of damage along transect lines. When extrapolated, there are 4,234 acres impacted coastwide by nutria hebivory.

Click here to view the entire 11-12 Nutria Harvest and Damage report

2010-2011 Nutria Control Program

  • 338,512 nutria tails worth $1,692,560 in incentive payments, were collected from 287 active participants.
  • Plaquemines turned in the most tails, 80,241. Terrebonne and St. Mary Parish followed with 65,190 and 43,533 respectively.
  • 92 (32%) participants turned in less than 200 tails, 65 (23%) participants turned in between 200-499 tails, 30 (10%) participants turned in between 500-799 tails, and 100 (35%) participants turned in 800 or more tails.
  • 66% of the nutria harvested were taken by rifle, 30% were trapped, and 4% were shot with a shot gun.
  • A total of 438 applications were processed.

2009-2010 Nutria Control Program

  • 445,963 nutria tails worth $2,229,815 in incentive payments, were collected from 306 active participants.
  • Terrebonne turned in the most tails, 106,226. Plaquemines and St. Mary followed with 69,294 and 67,631 respectively.
  • 87 (28%) participants turned in less than 200 tails, 59 (19%) participants turned in between 200-499 tails, 30 (10%) participants turned in between 500-799 tails, and 130 (~42%) participants turned in 800 or more tails.
  • 56% (252,373) of the nutria harvested were taken by rifle, 39% (173,456) were trapped, and 5% (20,134) were shot with a shot gun.
  • A total of 419 applications were processed.

2008-2009 Nutria Control Program

  • 337,038 nutria tails worth $1,670,190 in incentive payments, were collected from 262 active participants.
  • Terrebonne turned in the most tails, 74,587. Lafourche and St. Martin followed with 48,252 and 44,972 respectively.
  • 92 (35%) participants turned in less than 200 tails, 52 (20%) participants turned in between 200-499 tails, 25 (10%) participants turned in between 500-799 tails, and 93 (35%) participants turned in 800 or more tails.
  • 49% (149,734) of the nutria harvested were taken by rifle, 42% (130,330) were trapped, and 9% (28,148) were shot with a shot gun.
  • A total of 401 applications were processed.

2007-2008 Nutria Control Program

  • 308,212 nutria tails worth $1,541,060 in incentive payments, were collected from 347 active participants.
  • Terrebonne Parish turned in the most tails, 78,934. St. Martin and St. Mary followed with 54,726 and 34,210 respectively.
  • 141 participants (41%) turned in less than 200 tails. 68 participants (20%) turned in between 200-499 tails, 30 participants (8%) turned in 500-799 tails, and 108 participants (31%) turned in 800 or more tails.
  • 42% (130,330) of the nutria harvested were trapped. 49% (149,734) were shot with a rifle, and 9% (28,148) were shot with a shot gun.
  • A total of 484 applications were processed.

2006-2007 Nutria Control Program

  • A total of 375,683 nutria tails, worth $1,878,415 in incentive payments were collected from 365 participants.
  • St. Martin Parish turned in the most tails with 113,629. Terrebonne and St. Mary followed with 99,433 and 34,693 respectively.
  • St. Martin and Terrebonne Parish had 115 participants. There were 81 in St. Mary Parish.
  • 102 participants (30%) turned in less than 200 tails. 94 participants (26%) turned in between 200-499 tails. 46 participants (13%) turned in between 500-799 tails, and 123 participants (33%) turned in 800 or more tails.
  • 37% (137,131) of the nutria harvested were trapped. 43% (164,142) of the nutria harvested were shot with a rifle and 20% (74,410) of the nutria harvested were shot with a shotgun.
  • A total of 478 applications were processed for the program.
  • A total of 168,843 nutria tails, worth $675,372 in incentive payments were collected from 216 participants.
  • The Parishes with the most nutria tails collected were*: 1)Terrebonne with 57,756 tails, 2) Lafourche with 24,668 tails, 3) St. Mary with 21,023 tails, 4) St. Martin with 15,903 tails, and 5) St. Charles with 13,807 tails
  • The parishes with the most participants were: 1) Terrebonne, 2) Lafourche, 3) St Martin, 4) St Mary and 5)St. John.
  • 80 participants (37%) turned in less than 200 tails. 53 participants (25%) turned in between 200 and 499 tails. 29 participants (13%) turned in between 500 and 799 tails. 54 participants (25%) turned in 800 or more nutria tails and were responsible for (73%) 124,047 of the 168,843 tails that were turned in.
  • 39% (65,104) of the nutria harvested were trapped. 48% (81,105) of the nutria harvested were shot with a rifle and 13% (22,634) of the nutria harvested were shot with a shotgun.
  • A total of 309 applications were processed for the program
  • The 2006 Vegetative Damage Survey was completed in April. The survey yielded a total of 14,868 acres of damage along transect lines. This figure, when extrapolated, shows that 55,755 acres were impacted coast wide at the time of the survey. However 2,553 acres of the 14,868 acres of damage along transects of marsh previously impacted by nutria in Plaquemines and St. Bernard parishes was likely converted to open water by tidal scour from Hurricane Katrina. After the acreage is adjusted for the storm damages, the damage along transect lines equals 12,315 acres and when extrapolated this results in a total of 46,181 acres.
  • A total of 297,535 nutria tails, worth $1,190,140 in incentive payments were collected from 310 participants.
  • The Parishes with the most nutria tails collected were: 1)Terrebonne with 81,135 tails, 2) Plaquemines with 39,043 tails, 3) Lafourche with 32,411 tails, 4) St. Martin with 31,656 tails, and 5) St. Mary with 20,940 tails
  • The parishes with the most participants were: 1) Terrebonne with 98, 2) Lafourche with 44, 3) Plaquemines with 42, 4) Vermilion with 32, and 5) St Mary with 27.
  • 79 participants (25%) turned in less than 200 tails. 74 participants (24%) turned in between 200 and 499 tails. 46 participants (15%) tuned in between 500 and 799 tails. Again this season, the majority of participants, 111 (36%) turned in 800 or more nutria tails
  • 38% (114,668) of the nutria harvested were trapped. 54% (159,810) of the nutria harvested were shot with a rifle and 8% (23,057) of the nutria harvested were shot with a shotgun.
  • A total of 384 applications were processed for the program
  • A total of 332,596 nutria tails worth $1,330,384 in incentive payments were collected from 346 participants.
  • The parishes with the most nutria tails collected were: 1) Plaquemines with 86,720 tails, 2) Terrebonne with 72,846 tails, 3) Lafourche with 51,736 tails, 4) Jefferson with 24,896 tails and 5) St. Mary with 16,277.
  • The parishes with most participants were: 1) Terrebonne with 106, 2) Plaquemines with 65, 3) Lafourche with 42, 4) St. Charles with 25 and 5) St. Bernard and Jefferson with 21.
  • 114 participants (33%) turned in less than 200 tails. 68 participants (20%) turned in between 200 – 499 tails. 43 participants (12%) turned in between 500 – 799 tails. The majority of participants, 121 (35%), turned in 800 tails or more.
  • There was a change in the method of take for nutria during 2004. Forty-eight percent of nutria were trapped. Fifty percent of the nutria were taken with a rifle while only two percent were taken with a shotgun.
  • A total of 450 applications were processed for the program.

2002-2003 Nutria Control Program

  • A total of 308,160 nutria tails, worth $1,232,640 in incentive payments were collected from 342 participants.
  • The parishes with the most nutria tails collected were Terrebonne with 92,831 tails, Plaquemines with 63,208 tails, Lafourche with 28,852 tails, St. Mary with 26,004 tails, Jefferson with 20,529 tails, St. John with 18,450 tails and St. Charles with 11,169 tails.
  • The parishes with the most participants were Terrebonne with 104, Plaquemines with 69, Lafourche with 48, St. Charles with 24, St. Mary with 22, Jefferson with 19 and St. John with 11.
  • The majority of the participants, 116, turned in less than 200 tails, 86 participants turned in 201-499 tails, 35 participants turned in 500-799 tails and 105 participants turned in over 800 tails.
  • 66% of the nutria harvested were taken with a gun and 34% of the nutria harvested were taken with traps.
  • A 2002 nutria vegetative damage survey map and a Coastwide Nutria Control Program harvest distribution map are attached to show the overlap of harvest and damage.

Nutria.com

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is charged with the responsibility of managing and protecting Louisiana’s abundant natural resources.