§306.1. Retail seafood dealer's license; place of business; employees; retail out-of-state crab shipping license; imported seafood license

            A. Any person buying, acquiring, or handling by any means whatsoever, from a Louisiana wholesale/retail seafood dealer, any species of fish whether fresh, frozen, processed, or unprocessed, that sells to the consumer for personal or household use and any person who ships fish out of or within the state of Louisiana to the consumer for personal or household use shall purchase a retail seafood dealer's license.

            B.(1) The license shall be in the legal name of the licensee and shall list the legal mailing address and physical location of the place of business and any other information required by the department. If the place of business is a vehicle, the license shall state "vehicle" and shall list the legal mailing address and physical location of the licensee.

            (2)(a) This license, when issued to an individual, allows the licensee to operate as a retail seafood dealer at any point within the state when that person is in possession of the original license. The license is only valid for the individual for whom it has been issued.

            (b) This license, when issued to a corporation, partnership, or any other type of association, is valid only for one place of business and valid only to transact business for and in the name of the licensee.

            (3) If the licensee owns or operates more than one place of business, then an additional retail seafood dealer's license must be purchased for each additional place of business or vehicle. The additional licenses shall be in the same name of the business, list a license number which shall be different than the original license, list the legal mailing address and the physical location of that place of business, and any other information required by the department.

            (4) Individual employees of retail seafood dealers are not required to obtain a retail seafood dealer's license when transacting the business of the retail seafood dealer on the premises of the place of business, but any employee or person buying, acquiring, handling, or selling fish as a retail seafood dealer other than on the premises of the place of business must obtain a valid retail seafood dealer's license. When individual employees of a retail seafood dealer operate under the authority of a transport license for that dealer, the retail seafood dealer licensee remains responsible for all activities taking place under authority of that license.

            (5) The provisions of this Section shall not apply to a person transporting fish under the privilege of a Louisiana transport license purchased in connection with a Louisiana retail seafood dealer's license when that person buys fish for or on behalf of the retail seafood dealer and only transports such fish to that retail dealer.

            (6) Restaurants and retail grocers who only purchase fish or seafood, whether fresh, frozen, processed, or unprocessed, from a licensed wholesale/retail seafood dealer and only sell such fish or seafood fully prepared for immediate consumption by the consumer need not be licensed in compliance with the provisions of this Section. Any restaurant or retail grocer who sells fish or seafood as described in R.S. 56:306 or this Section shall be licensed in accordance with the applicable law. All restaurants and retail grocers shall maintain records as required in this Subpart.

            (7)(a) In addition to the license requirements contained in this Section, any retail seafood dealer who exports or attempts to export outside of the state of Louisiana any crabs, softshell crabs, boiled crabs, containerized crabmeat, or containerized pasteurized crabmeat shall be required to purchase a retail out-of-state crab shipping license in addition to his retail dealer's license. The retail out-of-state crab shipping license shall be issued in the same manner as a retail seafood dealer's license and shall be issued only to a person who is a licensed retail seafood dealer.

            (b) The fee for a retail out-of-state crab shipping license shall be one hundred dollars per year. The license shall be valid for one year, beginning on January first of each calendar year and expiring on December thirty-first of the same calendar year. The license may be purchased at any time of the year for the current license year and from November fifteenth for the immediately following license year.

            (c) Of the revenues collected from the issuance of retail out-of-state crab shipping licenses, ten percent shall be deposited to the Conservation Fund, and ninety percent shall be deposited to the Crab Development, Management, and Derelict Crab Trap Removal Account, R.S. 56:10(B)(1)(e).

            (8)(a) In addition to the license requirements contained in this Section, any retail seafood dealer who sells seafood sourced from outside of the federal exclusive economic zone (EEZ) shall be required to purchase an imported seafood license in addition to his retail dealer's license. The imported seafood license shall be issued in the same manner as a retail seafood dealer's license and shall be issued only to a person who is a licensed retail seafood dealer.

            (b) The license shall be valid for one year, beginning on January first of each calendar year and expiring on December thirty-first of the same calendar year. The license may be purchased at any time of the year for the current license year and from November fifteenth for the immediately following license year. The license fee shall be three hundred dollars.

            (c) Ten percent of all revenues collected from the issuance of imported seafood licenses shall be deposited into the Conservation Fund as provided in R.S. 56:10, and the remainder shall be deposited in the Imported Seafood Safety Fund as provided in R.S. 40:5.10.1.

            Acts 2022, No. 631, §1; Acts 2024, No. 719, §2.