Alleged incidents occurred in Plaquemines and St. Bernard parishes, LDWF says
Enforcement agents with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries cited 20 people for alleged shrimp violations since the middle of the summer.
Those cited, their alleged violations and where the incident took place are as follows:
On July 15, agents cited James L. Rigsby, 61, and Donald M. Deck, 59, both of Buras, for using skimmers during a closed shrimp season in Plaquemines Parish. Agents seized 20 pounds of shrimp.
Dean J. Ancalade, 33, and Trinity Bourgeois, 28, both of Venice, and Jade Nicole Marinovich, 31, of Belle Chasse, also were cited for using skimmers during a closed shrimp season in Plaquemines Parish, and agents seized 80 pounds of shrimp.
On July 24, agents cited Thien Le, 58, of Harvey, for using skimmers during a closed shrimp season in Plaquemines Parish and seized 198 pounds of shrimp.
Agents cited Loi Van, 60, of Buras, and Khoi Nguyen, 52, of Harvey, for using skimmers during a closed shrimp season and seized approximately 15 pounds of shrimp on July 25 in Plaquemines Parish.
On July 28, agents cited Rodney J. Encalade Jr., 31, of Violet, and Jackie Riley, 33, of Braithwaite, for using skimmers during a closed shrimp season in Plaquemines Parish. Agents seized 31 pounds of shrimp.
Agents also cited Tray M. Stewart, 25, of Port Sulphur, and Rondey S. Andrey, 31, of Buras, for using skimmers during a closed shrimp season and seized 50 pounds of shrimp on July 28 in Plaquemines Parish.
Also on July 28. agents cited Jude C. Landry, 37, and Jacob C. Landry, 19, both of Boothville, for using skimmers during a closed shrimp season and seized 112 pounds of shrimp in Plaquemines Parish.
Agents cited Martin J Nunez, 51, of Braithwaite, for using skimmers during a closed shrimp season and seized 171 pounds of shrimp in St. Bernard Parish on Aug. 1.
Also on Aug. 1, agents cited Binh Quang Cao, 58, of Buras, and Nam Van Pham, 40, of Belle Chasse, for using skimmers during a closed shrimp season and seized 151 pounds of shrimp in St. Bernard Parish.
Agents also cited Thi Van Le, 60, Dung Hung Pham, 62, and Hanh Van Nguyen, 42, all of Biloxi, Miss., for using skimmers during a closed shrimp season and seized 404 pounds of shrimp on Aug. 1 in St. Bernard Parish.
The inshore shrimp season is set to open again Aug. 17 at 6 a.m.
Using skimmers 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.
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 a news release.
