LDWF

What LDWF does

LDWF (Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries) is a cabinet-level state government agency, founded in 1944 and headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, responsible for managing and conserving the state's wildlife and fisheries resources. It operates under the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission as part of the executive branch of Louisiana state government and serves individual citizens and commercial operators statewide across all 64 parishes.

The agency's core services include issuing hunting and fishing licenses, permits, boat titles and registrations, enforcing wildlife regulations, conducting conservation programs, and administering wildlife education courses including Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) testing for harvested deer. Services are delivered primarily through the centralized louisiana.gov online services portal. LDWF also sets recreational and commercial fishing seasons and may issue emergency regulatory declarations, as demonstrated by the May 2025 gag grouper season adjustment and the November 2025 menhaden buffer restriction vote. The agency oversees an industry ecosystem in which the Louisiana menhaden fishery alone supports approximately 2,000 jobs and $420 million in economic impact.

LDWF's business model is that of a state government department rather than a commercial enterprise: it is funded through annual state appropriations, license and permit fees, and federal grants, and does not generate commercial revenue or accept private investment. There is no proprietary technology platform, no AI/ML capability, no API or app, and no third-party integrations disclosed. Customer segments are split between recreational hunters and anglers (primary) and commercial fishermen (secondary), with services priced via government-set fee schedules available through the state portal.

Name

LDWF

Legal name

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries

Website

https://louisiana.gov

Company type

Public

Founded year

1944

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) is a state government agency managing wildlife and fisheries resources, issuing licenses, permits, and boat registrations, and serving recreational hunters, anglers, and commercial fishermen across Louisiana.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife and Fisheries Management

NAICS

Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241), Hunting and Trapping (11421)

SIC

Fishing, Hunting And Trapping (900)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife Health & Conservation Disease Management (HLAMAJAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Forestry & Public Lands Administration (State/National Forests) (BPAIAMAF)

Keywords

• Wildlife management
• Fisheries management
• Hunting licenses
• Fishing licenses
• Boat registration

Headquarters

HQ city

Baton Rouge

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

LDWF (Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries) is a state government agency that manages and conserves Louisiana's wildlife and fisheries resources. The agency issues hunting and fishing licenses, recreational and commercial permits, boat titles and registrations, and provides wildlife education courses and disease testing services for the state's hunting, fishing, and conservation communities.

Product overview

LDWF (Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries) is a Louisiana state government agency responsible for managing and conserving the state's wildlife and fisheries resources. The agency provides various public services including hunting and fishing licenses, boat registrations, wildlife education courses, and Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) testing for harvested deer. Services are delivered through state-operated online portals and the louisiana.gov platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hunting and Fishing Licenses State-issued licenses required for Louisiana residents and visitors to legally participate in hunting and fishing activities, purchased through the LDWF and louisiana.gov portals.
• Boat Titles and Registrations Issuance of titles and registrations for boats operating in Louisiana waters, available through the state's online services portal.
• Wildlife Education Courses Educational courses required for hunters, anglers, and trappers to obtain certification needed to comply with state wildlife regulations.
• Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Testing Disease testing service for harvested deer to monitor and manage Chronic Wasting Disease in Louisiana's deer population.
• Commercial Fishing Permits Permits and regulatory authorizations required for commercial fishing operations in Louisiana, including menhaden fishery participants subject to buffer restrictions and quota regulations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Emergency adjustments to recreational gag grouper season to allow overfished population recovery
• +1 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Regional players

• Texas Parks and Wildlife Department: Cabinet-level Texas state agency that manages fish, wildlife, parks, and historic sites, issues hunting and fishing licenses, and enforces wildlife regulations across the state. Most directly comparable to LDWF by scope, structure, and mandate, with the only material difference being geography.
• Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission: Florida's statewide fish and wildlife agency with regulatory, licensing, and conservation authority. Highly comparable to LDWF as a Gulf-adjacent state managing similar commercial and recreational fisheries plus hunting programs.
• Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks: Mississippi's state agency with near-identical mandate covering wildlife, fisheries, and outdoor recreation, including licensing and CWD surveillance. Closest neighbor-state peer with shared Gulf fishery and menhaden/oyster concerns.
• Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources: Alabama's cabinet-level natural resource agency administering fish, wildlife, parks, and marine resources. Directly comparable to LDWF in scope, licensing structure, and Gulf-region regulatory remit.
• Arkansas Game and Fish Commission: Arkansas state agency managing fish and wildlife, issuing licenses, and enforcing wildlife law. Closely analogous institutional structure and service mix to LDWF, differing by geography and resource base.

Broad incumbents

• California Department of Fish and Wildlife: California's statewide fish and wildlife agency with significantly broader scope and budget, including marine resources and large-scale conservation programs. Functions as a larger institutional peer to LDWF rather than a direct competitor.

Others

• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: Federal agency that sets national wildlife policy and manages federal lands and endangered species. Not a direct peer but the upstream regulatory counterpart that LDWF must coordinate with on species decisions such as gag grouper.
• NOAA Fisheries (National Marine Fisheries Service): Federal agency with jurisdiction over commercial Gulf fisheries, including menhaden and grouper, that LDWF must coordinate with on seasons and quotas. Adjacent regulator rather than direct peer.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about LDWF