Six Alabama men cited for alleged shrimping violations

LDWF agents seize 1,450 pounds of shrimp in St. Bernard Parish

Enforcement agents with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries cited six Alabama men for alleged illegal shrimping activity in St. Bernard Parish on March 17.

According to a press release, agents wrote up William Byrd, 42, Jobie Nelson, 38, Jack Harmon, 39 and Joseph Nelson, 40, all of Grand Bay Ala., Derek Bateman, 29, of Coden, Ala. and Joshua Sprinkle, 30, of Irvington, Ala., for taking shrimp in Louisiana state waters during a closed season.

Agents observed the six men on two separate boats trawling for shrimp inside state waters 10 miles inside the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet, according to the release. Upon boarding the vessels, agents seized 1,450 pounds of shrimp, which were subsequently sold at the dock.

Shrimping during a closed shrimp season brings a $400 to $950 fine and up to 120 days in jail.  In addition to any and all other penalties for the first conviction of shrimping during the closed season, the court may revoke or suspend the violator’s trawl, skimmer, and butterfly gear licenses for one year from the date of the conviction, the release states.

During such revocation or suspension, the violator may be present on a vessel harvesting or possessing shrimp or possessing a trawl, skimmer, or butterfly net, only if the vessel is equipped with and employs an operating vessel monitoring system which is accessible to LDWF.  The court shall also sentence the violator to perform 40 hours of community service, according to the release.