Opening and closing dates for the 2003-04 oyster season on the public grounds have been announced and additional reef acreage will be available this season for harvest. Last season, over 6 million pounds of meat were harvested from public grounds in Louisiana and the addition of the designated temporary natural reef area in Little Lake and vicinity should allow for increased fishing possibilities for properly licensed oyster fishermen. The oyster season in the following areas will open one-half hour before sunrise on September 3, 2003 and close one-half hour after sunset on April 1, 2004: the Louisiana Public Oyster Seed Grounds not currently under lease located in the Bay Gardene Oyster Seed Reservation and the designated temporary natural reef in Little Lake and vicinity.  The oyster season in the following areas will open one-half hour before sunrise on September 10, 2003 and close one-half hour after sunset on April 1, 2004: the primary public seed grounds east of the Mississippi River bordered on the north by the Louisiana/Mississippi state line and on the south by the Mississippi River and North Pass including that portion of Lake Borgne as described in LAC 76:VII.513, the sacking only area of the public grounds which is generally Lake Fortuna and Lake Machias to a line from Mozambique Point to Point Gardner to Grace Point at the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet, and the Hackberry Bay Oyster Seed Reservation.  The oyster season in the Bay Junop Public Oyster Seed Reservation will open one-half hour before sunrise on September 10, 2003 and will close one-half hour after sunset on September 16, 2003 in the northern portion of the bay only as determined by the traditional November/February Department of Health and Hospital seasonal classification line which begins on the eastern shoreline of Bay Junop at latitude 29 degrees 14 minutes 03 seconds N, longitude 91 degrees 02 minutes 37 seconds W and follows a westerly line to the western shoreline at latitude 29 degrees 13 minutes 40 seconds N, longitude 91 degrees 03 minutes 31 seconds W.  The oyster season in the Sister (Caillou) Lake Public Oyster Seed Reservation will open for harvest one-half hour before sunrise on September 10, 2003 and close one-half hour after sunset on November 18, 2003.The season for the Calcasieu Lake public tonging area will open one-half hour before sunrise on October 15, 2003 and will remain open until one-half hour after sunset on April 30, 2004. However, these conservation actions will not supersede public health closures.  The following areas will remain closed for the 2003/2004 oyster season: the Public Oyster Seed Grounds located in portions of Lake Mechant, LakeTambour, Lake Chien, Lake Felicity, Deep Lake, and Barataria Bay (as described in LAC 76:VII.517), the Atchafalaya-Vermilion Bay Public Oyster Seed Grounds as described in LAC 76:VII.507 and 509, and the Sabine Lake Public Tonging Area.The commission authorized Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Secretary James H. Jenkins Jr. to take emergency action to close areas if oyster mortalities are occurring or to delay the season or close areas where significant spat catch has occurred with good probability of survival, or where it is found that there are excessive amounts of shell in seed oyster loads, or if enforcement problems are encountered. The secretary is also authorized to take emergency action to reopen areas previously closed if the threat to the resource has ended and to open areas if significant oyster resources are located. Public notice of any opening, delay or closure of a season will be provided at least 72 hours prior to such action.