Wet a line: The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries says it’s holding free recreational fishing days on June 11-12 for residents and non-residents. The Associated Press reports the department hopes the weekend will introduce newcomers, visitors and people who haven’t fished in a while to one of Louisiana’s most popular sports. Louisiana has miles of shoreline and a myriad of freshwater lakes, marsh and bayous to available for fishing during this annual event. Anglers are allowed to fish on all public bodies of waters without a license, but all fishing regulations still apply.
On a wing: A protected species of bird has caused the state to terminate a contract to rehabilitate the Jimmie Davis Bridge in north Louisiana between Shreveport and Bossier City. The Associated Press reports the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development says the $23.4 million contract awarded to PCL Civil Constructors Inc. has been terminated over a disagreement on how to deal with federally-protected cliff swallows living in the structure. The bridge was built in 1968 and serves approximately 21,500 motorists per day crossing the Red River. The project included re-decking, making structural repairs, installing lighting and painting the bridge purple.
Charting a new course: Royal Dutch Shell, ConocoPhillips and other companies have quietly relinquished $2.5 billion in drilling rights in U.S. Arctic waters, where they once hoped they would find the next big oil discovery. Bloomberg reports the pullout comes as crude oil prices have plummeted to less than half their June 2014 levels, forcing oil companies to slash spending. For Shell and ConocoPhillips, the decision to abandon Arctic acreage was formalized just before a May 1 due date to pay the U.S. government millions of dollars in rent to keep holdings in the Chukchi Sea north of Alaska. Shell last year ended a nearly $8 billion quest for Arctic crude after disappointing results from a test well. Read the full story.
