Agents cited two men for possession of illegally taken fish

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries enforcement agents cited two men for alleged recreational fishing violations on Aug. 16 in Jefferson Parish.

Agents cited Armando Acosta Perez, 39, and Ricardo Salazor Espinosa, 40, both living in Baton Rouge, for fishing without recreational basic fishing and saltwater fishing licenses, possessing undersized spotted seatrout, possessing undersized red drum and possessing undersized Spanish mackerel.

Agents were on patrol on Highway 1 near Grand Isle around 5:30 p.m. on Aug. 16 when they observed the two men fishing from a bridge on Thunder Bayou. Agents made contact with the men and performed a license and creel check.

Agents found the men without any fishing licenses and with undersized seatrout, red drum and Spanish mackerel in their ice chest.

Agents found the men in possession of 18 spotted seatrout of which 12 were under the minimum legal size limit of 12 inches, two red drum under the minimum size limit of 16 inches and a Spanish mackerel under the legal size limit of 12 inches. The men were also in possession of 25 white trout, five Atlantic spadefish, two black drum, two gafftopsail catfish, two hardhead catfish, a southern flounder and a sheepshead.

Agents seized all 59 of the fish from the men.

Possessing undersized red drum, spotted seatrout and Spanish mackerel each bring a $100 to $350 fine and up to 60 days in jail. Fishing without basic fishing and saltwater licenses each carry a $100 to $350 fine and up to 60 days in jail. The men will also face civil restitution charges for the replacement value of the illegally taken fish.