Morris pleads guilty to January incident in Plaquemines Parish
A 30-year-old Marrero man who took undercover agents with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries on chartered fishing trips without a charter boat license pleaded guilty last week to numerous commercial fishing violations in Plaquemines Parish.
According to a press release, Joseph Morris III pleaded guilty to selling fish without a fresh products license, failing to maintain records, taking commercial fish without a vessel license, selling gamefish illegally, selling spotted sea trout without a permit, selling spotted sea trout without a rod and reel license, taking and selling undersized spotted sea trout, possessing commercial red drum illegally and failing to comply with charter boat regulations.
Morris was ordered to pay a $2,250 fine plus court costs, serve 120 days in parish prison suspended and lost his recreational and commercial fishing privileges for two years, the release states.
Continued litigation in Jefferson Parish for additional alleged violations is pending, according to the release.
Morris also is facing a total of $8,329.68 in civil restitution for the illegally taken and possessed fish, the release states.
Agents arrested Morris on Jan. 24, 2014 after he sold spotted sea trout and red drum to undercover agents, and took agents on charter trips without a license.
