Exotic Species Control: Nutria

National Park Service

section 90S of Public Law 95-625 states that,"Within the Barataria Marsh Unit, the Secretary shall permit hunting, fishing (including commercial fishing), and trapping in accordance with applicable Federal and State laws ..." This allows for the continuation of "traditional uses" including the trapping of furbearing animals within the Barataria preserve Unit of Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve. Nutria (Myocascer coypus), a non-native mammal, is a serious and disruptive pest subject to control under the provisions of NPS 77, Natural Resource Management Guideline. A Trapping Management Plan for the Barataria Preserve was approved and implemented in October 1990 to regulate trapping activities and to provide guidance for the control of nutria. The plan outlined three methods for nutria population control: 1) permitted traditional trapping; 2). contract trapping; and )) direct reduction by park staff. The recommended take ot nutria is 3,000 to 5,000 animals per year, a number deemed necessary to reduce the likelihood of severe environmental stresses resulting from nutria overpopUlation, including winter eat-outs. Therefore, when data indicate that this park has not met nutria reduction goals, the park will undertake a direct reduction program to control nutria populations.