BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Enforcement agents boarded an offshore supply vessel and two commercial shrimp boats in less than three hours and cited four men — including a shrimp boat captain — for alleged fishing violations, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries said.
Agents found captain John C. Aleman, 51, of Laguna Vista, Texas, with six red snapper — all under the minimum 16 inches — on his shrimp boat, the Manana, enforcement division spokesman Adam Einck said Monday. Aleman was cited with possessing undersized red snapper during a closed season, Einck said.
He said the shrimper Arc Angel did not have the required federal shrimping permit, and Raymond Herrera, 48, of Grand Bay, Ala., was cited for not having the permit.
On the offshore supply vessel Tristian Janice, agents cited Terry L. Bell, 42, of Livingston and Zachary J. Thomas, 30, of Houston for possessing red snapper during a closed season, and Bell for possessing more than the limit of two. Einck said both were fishing from the vessel, which was tied to an offshore platform; Bell allegedly had four of the fish and Thomas one.
All three boats were boarded between 4:30 p.m. and 6:42 p.m. on May 15, about 50 miles offshore in federal waters. The state agents had authority to board them under a joint enforcement agreement with the National Marine Fisheries Service.
Taking red snapper during a closed season, taking over the limit of red snapper and taking undersized red snapper each carries a fine up to $350 and up to 60 days in jail. Violating federal shrimping regulations carries a civil fine determined by the fisheries service.
The recreational season for red snapper opens June 1.
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