Vessel seized and 13 sacks of oysters returned to Sister Lake Reservation, LDWF says
Enforcement agents with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries arrested two men for alleged oyster violations in Terrebonne Parish on Friday.
According to a press release, Quint Liner Jr., 24, of Dularge, and Bobby Billiot, 24, of Houma, were arrested for illegally harvesting oysters during a closed season on the Sister Lake Public Oyster Seed Reservation, which is closed until Oct. 19.
Liner also was charged with operating a vessel during a license suspension, failing to have his commercial license in his possession and taking oysters without an oyster harvester license. Both men were booked into the Terrebonne Parish Jail.
Agents on patrol in the area inspected the boat and allegedly found loose oysters in the dredges, a pile of oysters on deck and sacked oysters, the release states. The vessel was seized, along with two dredges, and 13 sacks of oysters were returned to the water.
Taking oysters during a closed season brings a $900 to $950 fine and up to 120 days in jail. Any person convicted of this violation may only harvest oysters from a vessel that employs a vessel monitoring system monitored by LDWF for a period of one year, according to the release. Operating a vessel during suspension and taking oysters without an oyster harvester license each brings a $400 to $950 fine and up to 120 days in jail. Failing to have possession of a commercial license brings a $250 to $500 fine and up to 90 days in jail.
