Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) enforcement agents cited a New Orleans man for an alleged fishing violation on Aug. 28 in St. Bernard Parish.
Agents cited Michael J. Russell, 64, for trawling inside waters with oversized fishing trawls.
Agents received information that a commercial fisherman was possibly running oversized trawls on a vessel in Lake Borgne. Agents located the 60-foot commercial vessel with Russel operating the vessel and actively engaged in fishing.
Agents made contact with Russell and found him trawling inside waters with two 38-foot trawl nets. The maximum pull for nets while trawling is 50 feet, which put Russel 26 feet over the maximum allowed pull.
Agents seized two trawl nets. Agents also seized about 1,300 pounds of fish composed mostly of black drum and sheepshead and sold them to the highest bidder.
Trawling inside waters with oversized trawls brings a $400 to $950 fine and up to 120 days in jail.
Agents participating in the case are Agent Mason Castello, Sgt. Thomas Wolf, Sgt. Reggio Villere and Agent Joshua Schilling.