The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries recently cited two men for multiple fishing violations in Terrebonne Parish, as they were found to be in violation of various Wildlife Management Area (WMA) regulations. On the night of Dec. 13, agents encountered Wilmer Melendezavila and Nelson Survellon engaging in recreational fishing on the Pointe-aux-Chenes WMA, an area where nighttime activity is explicitly banned, as reported by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.
According to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries official report, neither Melendezavila nor Survellon had the required WMA access permits, basic fishing, or saltwater fishing licenses. Furthermore, the men were found in possession of several undersized black drum as well as quantities exceeding the legal catch limit. Specifically, Melendezavila had 11 black drum, of which five were undersized, along with three croaker. Survellon had seven black drum, with three under the legal size limit.
Louisiana regulations stipulate a daily limit of five black drum per person, which must measure between 16 and 27 inches, and allow for one black drum over the 27-inch mark. The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries agents, Sgt. Richard Bean and Agent Courtney Hart, seized 18 black drum and three croaker from the subjects and donated the catch to a local charity.
The penalties for the violations are substantial: each offense can carry a $350 fine, and the men are also facing civil restitution of $100 for the replacement value of the illegally taken fish. These enforcement actions reflect the Department's ongoing efforts to ensure compliance with state fishing laws and the protection of Louisiana's marine resources, access permits are imperative for not just legal compliance but also for the conservation efforts monitored by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.
