Two men from St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, were cited by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries for commercial seafood violations. Stephen Martin, 59, of Violet, was cited on May 11 for 15 counts of failing to maintain records, 12 counts of failing to submit fishery data, and four counts of buying or selling fish without a license, according to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.
During the investigation, agents found that St. Bernard Seafood Co. had purchased fish from Martin, leading to an inspection of the facility in May. Ram Miller, 37, was cited for 12 counts of recordkeeping violations, 12 counts of failing to submit data, and one count of buying fish from an unlicensed dealer, as reported by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.
Individuals may face fines of $250 to $500 and up to 90 days in jail for recordkeeping violations identified by Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Senior Agents Heather Fitzgerald and Joshua Schilling. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries stated that accurate records help manage fishery species and track seafood from the dock to the table. The legal process is ongoing for Martin and Miller.
