A St. Bernard man pleaded guilty to multiple commercial fishing violations on Aug. 16 in St. Bernard Parish.
The honorable Judge Jeanne N. Juneau, of the 34th Judicial District, of St. Bernard Parish, ordered Nicholas D. Russel, 21, of St. Bernard, to pay $2,600 in fines and forfeit the seized dredge used in the illegal activity to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF).
Russel also had his oyster harvester license revoked for one year and can only be on a vessel fishing for oysters that is equipped with a Vessel Monitoring System for a period of one year.
LDWF enforcement agents cited Russel on March 5, 2018 for failing to have written permission to harvest oysters on Lake Coquille and unlawfully taking oysters off a private lease. Agents also cited Russell taking oysters from unleased state water bottoms in Blind Pisana Bayou on April 20, 2018.