May 25
May 21, 2007Sheila Boudreaux
May 23, 2007
Louisiana-native Tony Joe White told of a “gator” that “ate your granny” in his 1969 swamp-rock classic, “Polk Salad Annie,” which he wrote and sang.
White could not have known how seriously his line about a horrific wildlife encounter would be taken by Louisiana state officials 38 years later.
The Louisiana State Senate’s Natural Resources Committee has been considering a bill outlawing swamp cruise operators’ common practice of giving food to wild alligators while conducting swamp tours.
The bill, which “prohibits the intentional feeding of wild alligators,” was sponsored by Committee Chair Max Malone of Shreveport.
On Thursday, the committee deferred the proposed law for a “second time,” said State Sen. Reggie Dupre of Houma, who is a member of the Natural Resources Committee.
“That bill’s on life support,” Dupre said. “It gets less and less support every time. I don’t believe (it) will go anywhere.”
The proposal will stay in committee, said a spokesperson for the Louisiana Legislature. “That’s usually the end of it, or another (proposal) could come up.”
Dupre said the bill outlawing the feeding practice was recommended by biologists at the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.
The swamp cruise conductors at Munson’s Swamp Tours in Schriever said they’re not ready yet to hang out “Don’t feed the gators” signs.
“Feeding the alligators is the best part of the trip,” said Albert Pellegrin, who assists owner Bill Munson. Pellegrin lives near Grand Caillou Road in east Houma.
“I don’t know why they’re worried about alligators,” he said. “I’ve got them in my backyard.”
James Roberts, a Munson assistant who conducted swamp cruises for 12 years, said he experienced no incidents with alligators during his tours.
Munson, also, said he hadn’t heard of any incidents with alligators.
“They think the alligators are coming too close” to the boat, Munson said. “They’re going to make you do things to get around regulations. I will feed the fish. They can’t stop alligators from getting to it.
“We’ve been struggling since 9/11, and since the hurricanes,” he said. “We’re lucky to have stayed in business. Now, they’re trying to kill any chance of our coming back as an industry. Somebody has convinced politicians that people will get attacked.
“Politicians want to make names for themselves,” Munson said.
The Senate bill excludes any “person who in the performance of his official duties feeds an alligator maintained in captivity in a licensed alligator farm, exhibit, zoo, university or research facility, or educational display; or … department employee, university researcher, or licensed alligator trapper, when authorized to use bait to trap or capture alligators.”
Dupre said, “ If the bill comes up in committee next week (or if the bill makes it out of committee), I will put an amendment on the bill to exempt tour operators.
“I don’t plan to vote in favor of the bill, either in committee, or in the full Senate,” he said. “The Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is figuring out that it’s a controversial bill.
“There’s a limited amount of resources that the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries has,” he said. “I told the person who acts as the legislative liaison for the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries that taking away enforcement” to halt wild alligator feeding “is like State Troopers taking resources away from DWI enforcement, and putting it on expired inspection stickers.”
Munson said, “We want positive news for the tourism industry” in Louisiana.
