Incident occurred in Bayou Terre aux Boeufs on Tuesday
Enforcement agents with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries cited two men for alleged shrimping violations in St. Bernard Parish on Tuesday.
According to a news release, Michael Labat Jr., 32 of St. Bernard, and deckhand Allen Labat, 26, of Poydras, were ticketed for using oversized butterfly nets. Labat Jr. also was cited for failing to display a vessel registration decal and for not having boat numbers.
After noticing the boat shrimping without numbers or a registration decal on the side of the vessel, agents made contact and found the butterfly rigging onboard to be unusually large, the release states.
Agents measured the nets at 22 ½ feet horizontally and 10 feet, 10 inches vertically for each net. Double butterfly nets may not be more than 16 feet horizontally and 12 feet vertically for each net. In addition they may not be mounted more than 24 inches from the side of the vessel.
More than 170 pounds of shrimp were seized and sold after the stop, the release states.
Using oversized butterfly nets brings a $250 to $500 fine and up to 90 days in jail. Failing to have boat numbers and vessel registration decal each carries up to a $50 fine and 15 days in jail, according to the release.
