A Houma man has run afoul of Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) regulations, caught in the act of illegal oyster harvesting in Terrebonne Parish, according to the LDWF enforcement agents. The incident, which unfolded on March 11 near Grand Caillou Bayou, involved Fernando Carbajal, 49, who was cited for several violations, including unlawfully taking oysters from a state water bottom, which could cost him up to 120 days in jail and a fine between $400 to $950.
While on patrol, agents witnessed Carbajal and his crew aboard a commercial oyster vessel, actively harvesting the shellfish. The LDWF agents, as per a statement, learned that they did not have permission to harvest in that area. Carbajal, the captain, also faced citations for failing to maintain his logbook, along with sanitation code violations related to the handling of human waste buckets. Riding improperly on the vessel's deck, the crew was observed by the agents, constituting yet another safety violation.
According to the LDWF, the agents seized two sacks of oysters from the crew and returned them back to their watery beds. In addition to the hefty fine and possible jail time for pilfering state water bottom oysters, Carbajal could be fined up to $25 for each of the sanitation and logbook violations. Improperly riding on decks or gunwales carries up to a $50 fine.
The enforcement agents involved in the citation, identified by the department as Senior Agent Austin Anderson, Senior Agent Cody Salpietra, and Senior Agent Troy Autin, are part of efforts to ensure the sustainability of Louisiana's oyster populations and the adherence to regulations designed for both environmental and public health. Engaging in activities like unlawful oyster harvesting, such violations often spell a ripple of consequences for both ecosystems and human communities tied intimately to these water bottoms.
