Senate panel OKs gator Catch and Cook

Forget budget deficits, tax credits, discrimination and Real ID, Louisiana restaurants will soon be able to whip up freshly caught alligator dishes brought to the chefs by the diner.
House Bill 188, reported out of the Senate Natural Resources Committee Thursday, would includes alligator in the state’s Catch and Cook program.
The program was created in 2014 by the bills author, Rep. Stuart Bishop, R-Lafayette, and Sen. Bret Allain, R-Franklin, and signed by then Gov. Bobby Jindal. Bishop said a constituent brought the bill to his attention when he realized the law doesn’t include alligators.
The Department of Wildlife and Fisheries issues alligator hunting licenses for those who wish to hunt on their property and those who hunt on public lands for sport. The department issues 800 alligator individual tags a year in a lottery in addition to those who have licenses.
Because of this monitoring process Bishop said he believes adding the reptiles to the program won’t cause them to become endangered species.
The bill now goes to the Senate.