02-04-2004, 11:17 PM
[font "Arial"][size 2]Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries enforcement agents have arrested and cited two men for allegedly taking spotted sea trout with a gill net during closed season. [/size][/font]
Clayton M. Buras, 21, of Venice, and Dean J. Ancalade, 21, also of Buras were arrested on January 22 and booked into the Plaquemines Parish Prison for using a saltwater gill net illegally and taking commercial spotted seatrout during close season. In addition, Buras was charged with flight from an officer. The case resulted from a night patrol in the Yellow Cotton Bay area of Plaquemines Parish.
After finding a suspicious vehicle parked at the Yellow Cotton Bay Marina the agents investigated further and set up surveillance in the bay. They spotted Buras and Ancalade and watched as they worked gill nets taking fish in the darkness. All fish were loaded into sacks and hidden in the weeds along the shoreline. The fishermen were then apprehended and placed under arrest. A total of 464 spotted seatrout were seized as a result of the incident.
Violations of using saltwater gill nets illegally and taking spotted sea trout in closed season are both punishable by fines up to $950, jail for not more than 120 days, or both, license and permit revocation and forfeiture of anything seized in connection with the violation. Buras and Ancalade will also face civil monetary fines for the 464 spotted sea trout illegally taken. The charges will be forwarded to the district attorney’s office in Plaquemines Parish for prosecution.
Agents participating in the case were Lt. Robert Martin, Senior Agent Mike Garrity, Agents Jason Gernados, Roy Pier, Adam Young and Villere Reggio.
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Clayton M. Buras, 21, of Venice, and Dean J. Ancalade, 21, also of Buras were arrested on January 22 and booked into the Plaquemines Parish Prison for using a saltwater gill net illegally and taking commercial spotted seatrout during close season. In addition, Buras was charged with flight from an officer. The case resulted from a night patrol in the Yellow Cotton Bay area of Plaquemines Parish.
After finding a suspicious vehicle parked at the Yellow Cotton Bay Marina the agents investigated further and set up surveillance in the bay. They spotted Buras and Ancalade and watched as they worked gill nets taking fish in the darkness. All fish were loaded into sacks and hidden in the weeds along the shoreline. The fishermen were then apprehended and placed under arrest. A total of 464 spotted seatrout were seized as a result of the incident.
Violations of using saltwater gill nets illegally and taking spotted sea trout in closed season are both punishable by fines up to $950, jail for not more than 120 days, or both, license and permit revocation and forfeiture of anything seized in connection with the violation. Buras and Ancalade will also face civil monetary fines for the 464 spotted sea trout illegally taken. The charges will be forwarded to the district attorney’s office in Plaquemines Parish for prosecution.
Agents participating in the case were Lt. Robert Martin, Senior Agent Mike Garrity, Agents Jason Gernados, Roy Pier, Adam Young and Villere Reggio.
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