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NEWS |
L.D.W.F. Agents Cite Two Men for Gill Net ViolationsLouisiana Youth Can Register Now for 2010 Hunter of the Year AwardsL.D.W.F. Agents Searching for Overdue Boater in Lac des AllemandsL.D.W.F. Investigating Decapitated EagleFather and Son Team Receive D.W.I. Enforcement AwardsL.D.W.F. Agents Issued 13 Turkey Hunting Citations During Opening WeekendThibodaux Man Arrested For Alleged Insurance FraudL.D.W.F. Agents Assist in Search for Two Men in Lafourche ParishThree Men Cited for Shark Violations in Federal WatersL.D.W.F. To Take Part in New Anti-Littering CampaignL.D.W.F. Agents Cite Two Men for Gill Net ViolationsLouisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Enforcement Division agents cited two men for alleged gill net violations in Grand Chenier in Cameron Parish on April 16. Agents cited Richard Comeaux, 57, of Church Point, and Elridge Benoit, 71, of Duson, for using gill nets illegally, leaving nets unattended, taking commercial fish without a commercial fishing license and without a commercial gear license. Agents responded to a complaint about illegal gill net activity in the saltwater area south of Highway 82 in Grand Chenier. Agents observed Comeaux and Benoit retrieve two-gill nets that were hidden in the grass on the levee. Agents then witnessed the subjects set one of the nets and herd fish into the net by driving their boat down the canal and chasing fish into the net. After making contact with Comeaux and Benoit, agents determined that neither had a commercial fishing license or gear license. Agents arrested the subjects and booked them into the Cameron Parish Jail. Agents seized 147 pounds of garfish, a 15-foot aluminum boat with a 40 horsepower outboard, boat trailer and two gill nets. Using a gill net illegally carries a fine between $900 and $950, or jail time up to 120 days, or both plus court costs. Taking commercial fish without a commercial license or commercial gear license brings a $250 to $500 fine, up to 90 days in jail, or both plus court costs for each offense. Leaving nets unattended carries a $350 to $500 fine, or jail time up to 30 days, license revocation and court costs. Agents involved in the case were Senior Agents Beau Robertson, Carl Pickett and Sean Moreau. Louisiana Youth Can Register Now for 2010 Hunter of the Year AwardsThe Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) and the Louisiana Outdoor Writers Association (LOWA) are encouraging hunters 15 years of age or younger to enter the 2010 Youth Hunter of the Year competition. The contest requires youth hunters to submit a story about their hunting experience along with photographs of the hunt. LDWF and LOWA will then select a male and female youth hunter of the year based upon the stories and photos that are received. Visit the LDWF website at http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/hunting/youth-hunter-registry-program for information on the Youth Hunter Registry Program and the 2010 Youth Hunter of the Year Contest. Youth hunters who participated in any hunting activity during the 2010-11 hunting season are encouraged to participate. This is not a big buck or turkey contest. The program is about youths enjoying a hunting experience, with or without success, and keeping the hunting tradition alive in Louisiana. The deadline to enter the 2010 Youth Hunter of the Year Contest is June 30, 2011. The two winners will be recognized at the Louisiana Outdoor Writers Conference this summer. Winners will receive a plaque in recognition of their achievement and a gift certificate from Bowie Outfitters in Baton Rouge. Additionally, all participants who register their 2010-11 hunting experiences with the Youth Hunter Registry Program will be eligible to win a gift certificate from Bowie Outfitters (winner to be selected by a random drawing). For more information, contact Scott Durham at 225-765-2351 or sdurham@wlf.la.gov or David Moreland at 225-978-6552 or helfinroots@hotmail.com. The Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is charged with managing and protecting Louisiana's abundant natural resources. For more information, visit us at www.wlf.louisiana.gov on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ldwffb or follow us on Twitter @LDWF. L.D.W.F. Agents Searching for Overdue Boater in Lac des AllemandsLouisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Enforcement Division agents are actively searching for a missing Vacherie man in Lac des Allemands in St. John the Baptist Parish. LDWF along with the U.S. Coast Guard and St. John the Baptist Sheriff's Office are searching the lake for Larry T. Brock, 66, who has been missing since the morning of April 7. The St. John the Baptist Sheriff's Office notified LDWF agents of an unmanned vessel found in Lac des Allemands running in circles around 11 a.m. The 18-foot aluminum vessel with 130 horsepower motor was found with several catfish on board and bait for hoop nets. According to a fellow fisherman, Brock is a commercial fisherman who was running hoop nets in the morning. When Brock did not return by 10:30 a.m., the fellow fisherman went looking for him and found the unmanned vessel and notified the sheriff's office. L.D.W.F. Investigating Decapitated EagleLouisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Enforcement Division agents are seeking the public's help after finding a federally protected decapitated bald eagle in a drainage ditch in Franklin Parish on April 3. Anyone providing information leading to the arrest or conviction of the guilty party is eligible for up to $2,000 in cash rewards. LDWF and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are both offering $1,000 to help solve this case. "To see any protected animal decapitated in a ditch is disheartening enough, let alone the animal that represents our symbol of freedom," said Capt. Alan Bankston, LDWF's Regional Captain for the Monroe area. "However, to find out what happened to this eagle, we really need help from the public. We are urging the public to offer up any information they might hear so we can hold someone accountable for this brutal crime." Anyone with information may call the LDWF Operation Game Thief Hotline at 1-800-442-2511. Callers may remain anonymous. Agents believe the eagle had been dead for a couple of days before being found. LDWF agents recovered the eagle and are currently scheduling a necropsy to determine a cause of death. The eagle is protected by the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. For each violation of these acts, a $5,000 fine and up to 18 months in jail may be imposed if convicted. Father and Son Team Receive D.W.I. Enforcement AwardsThe Louisiana Highway Safety Commission presented "2010 DWI Enforcement Awards" on March 15 to a father and son for their efforts in getting impaired operators vehicles and vessels off of the streets and waterways. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Enforcement Division Senior Agent Randy Lanoux, 47, of Gonzales, received the award for making 47 driving while under the influence (DWI) cases in 2010. His son, Louisiana State University (LSU) Police Patrol Officer Justin Lanoux, 27, of Gonzales, earned the award for issuing 24 DWI citations. They both made the most DWI arrests for their agencies. "This was a very special moment for me and my son," said Randy Lanoux. "During the span of my 30-year law enforcement career I have received several awards, however, in this one instance to stand next to your only son and receive recognition from the state, which you love so dearly, is indescribable." Justin said he made most of his cases around the perimeter of the LSU campus and that he has zero tolerance for impaired drivers. "It is important to protect the LSU students, faculty and staff as well as the citizens of the state of Louisiana from drunk drivers," he said. "Alcohol related traffic crashes are 100% preventable by simply not drinking and driving." Randy made 44 of his 47 DWI cases in 2010 on the water with most of those coming on the Amite and Blind Rivers. Alcohol is the number one cause of boating crash incidents that lead to fatalities in Louisiana. In 2009, alcohol was ruled the primary cause for six of the 32 fatalities from boating crash incidents. "For public safety it is imperative that impaired boat operators be located and removed from our state waterways before they can cause harm to themselves or someone else," Randy said. "It's not a question of if something will happen, but a question of when. Eventually there will be a situation where a quick decision needs to be made and an impaired operator simply can't react in the time needed. Alcohol also obstructs their capabilities of reason and judgment and is a recipe for disaster." The LDWF Enforcement Division has stepped up their DWI enforcement efforts in the last decade. LDWF agents issued 216 DWI citations in 2009 and 158 in 2010, compared to 50 in 2002. L.D.W.F. Agents Issued 13 Turkey Hunting Citations During Opening WeekendLouisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Enforcement Division agents across the state were out in full force during the opening weekend of the turkey-hunting season. On March 19 and 20, LDWF agents issued 13 citations for turkey hunting violations. Of those 13 citations, 11 were for illegally hunting turkeys over bait. "Our agents have always concentrated enforcement efforts during turkey season on looking for those who hunt turkey's over baited areas," said Col. Winton Vidrine, Chief of the LDWF Enforcement Division. "Agents have been well trained in scouting out baited areas and doing surveillance work to get enough evidence for a conviction." Agents issued the most turkey hunting citations in the Florida parishes with eight, including six citations for hunting over bait. Agents cited James Shirley, 84, of Baton Rouge, and Ricky Lacy, 62, of Baton Rouge for hunting turkeys over bait in Tangipahoa Parish. Damion Thornton, 32, of Livingston, was cited for hunting turkeys over bait in St. Helena Parish. Agents cited Richard D. Sutton, 71, of Denham Springs, and Betty J. Efferson, 58, of Livingston, for hunting turkeys over bait in Livingston Parish. Kurt Danos, 52, of Cut Off, was cited for hunting turkeys over bait in West Feliciana parish. Agents also cited Barton T. Evans, 31, of Baton Rouge, and Sutton for not possessing turkey tags. Agents in the western part of the state made five cases for hunting turkeys over a baited area. Agents cited Robert G. Sandifer, 62, of Jena and Onessia J. Posey, 48, of Jena, in LaSalle Parish. In Beauregard Parish, agents cited Gregory Byrley, 57, of Lake Charles, and Timothy Scimemi, 51, of Lafayette. Agents cited David L. Wallace, 57, of Deridder in Vernon Parish. Hunting turkeys over a baited area carries a fine up to $500, or up to 90 days in jail, or both plus court costs. Hunting without possession of a turkey tag brings a $50 fine, or up to 15 days in jail or both. Thibodaux Man Arrested For Alleged Insurance FraudLouisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Enforcement Division agents arrested a Thibodaux man for alleged insurance fraud on March 13 following a boating crash incident in Concordia Parish. Agents arrested Joshua Keith Soileau, 30, for filing false public records and cited him for gross littering and criminal mischief. Soileau stated to LDWF Agents that he had tied his boat up to a tree along the Red River the evening before and returned to the boat in the morning and it was gone. Soileau stated that he and his friends found several items floating that were in his boat, which led him to believe that the boat might have sunk. Based on the items that were recovered by Soileau, agents found evidence that led them to discover the boat was possibly sunk on purpose. After interviewing Soileau a second time, he admitted to sinking his boat because he wanted to purchase a new one with the insurance money. Soileau was then arrested and booked into the Concordia Parish Jail. Filing false public records carries a fine up to $5,000, or up to five years in jail with or without hard labor or both. Gross littering carries a fine up to $100 and eight hours of community service in a litter abatement work program as approved by the court. Criminal mischief carries a fine up to $500, up to six months in jail or both. Agents involved in the case were Senior Agent Trey Mason and Senior Agent Joey Tarver. L.D.W.F. Agents Assist in Search for Two Men in Lafourche ParishLouisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Enforcement Division agents aided in the search for two Golden Meadow men on March 17 in Lafourche Parish. The Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office (LPSO) was notified about a sunken vessel near the tidewater docks just south of Golden Meadow along La. Hwy. 1 around 8 a.m. Shortly thereafter LDWF agents and LPSO officers arrived on scene to conduct a search of the area. Searchers found the deceased body of Orand J. Terrebonne Jr., 33, in the water shortly after 10 a.m. about a half mile from the vessel. The searchers were able to recover the body and vessel to bring back to the dock. Terrebonne Jr.’s body was then handed over to the Lafourche Parish Coronor’s Office. The searchers then began the search for Simon P. Billiot, 32, who was the owner of the sunken vessel. An LDWF agent and Port Fourchon Harbor Policeman were able to fly in a VIH Cougar helicopter to help in the search. Around 2:30 p.m., they found Billiot in the water clinging to the edge of the marsh a canal over from the sunken vessel. Billiot was loaded into the helicopter and airlifted to Our Lady of the Sea Memorial Hospital and treated for hypothermia. According to Billiot, he and Terrebonne Jr. decided to go night fishing the previous night and left out of Bobby Lynn’s boat launch around 7:30 p.m. Billiot said they went to the bridges near Leeville and fished under the lights without success. In their search to find a better spot, Billiot said they struck an oyster reef and broke the seal on a fiberglass patch on the hull. Billiot stated that the vessel sank upright and they abandoned it in favor of walking back to town through the marsh. He said that after walking some distance the two of them got separated and he decided to try to stay warm until daylight. The boat was identified as a 14 foot Polarcraft with a hand tillered 25 horsepower engine. Agencies involved in recovery and rescue were LDWF agents Lt. Chad Hebert, Agent Stephen Rhodes and Agent Ryan Breaux; LPSO Water Patrol Capt. Dean Savoie, Jeff Prevost, Kent Mathern and Cody Naquin; Port Commission Harbor Police Captain Larry Terry, Chief John Callias, Sgt. Troy Dufrene and Officer Tate Lafont; Golden Meadow Police Officer Reggie Pitre; and VIH Cougar helicopter pilots Grant Mills and Mike Belling along with rescue men Richard Cormier and Steve Johnson. The LDWF Enforcement Division will be conducting the ensuing investigation. The cause of Terrbonne Jr.’s death is unknown at this time. Three Men Cited for Shark Violations in Federal WatersLouisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Enforcement Division agents assigned to the statewide strike force cited three men fishing violations in federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico on March 17. Agents cited James Braddock, 32, of Empire; Anthony Pellegrini, 25, of Pearl River; and Andrew Prest, 60, of Buras; for possessing 67 blacktip sharks in federal waters without the required Federal Shark Permit. The limit for large coastal sharks per trip and per day is 33. Violating shark regulations brings a $100 to $350 fine, or up to 60 days in jail or both. Failing to comply with federal law in the Exclusive Economic Zone carries a fine from $900 to $950, or up to 120 days in jail or both. Agents involved in the case were Senior Agent Michael Williams, Agent Cody Soileau and Agent Charles Talbert. L.D.W.F. To Take Part in New Anti-Littering CampaignThe Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) in conjunction with Keep Louisiana Beautiful (KLB) today, March 17, announced a new anti-littering slogan for the upcoming heightened enforcement for littering weekend this Friday through Sunday, March 18-20. The new slogan of "Pick It Up or Pay It Out" will be used extensively this weekend to raise awareness of the consequences of littering in Louisiana. Pick It Up or Pay It Out is a cooperative effort of law enforcement agencies in Louisiana including the LDWF Enforcement Division, Louisiana State Police, Louisiana's Sheriff's Association and other law enforcement agencies to implement zero tolerance litter policies in their jurisdictions with increased patrols this weekend. The Office of the Lieutenant Governor and Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles has also joined KLB in this new anti-littering campaign. "Every time someone drops a piece of paper on the ground, throws a cigarette butt out the window, or dumps trash on abandoned land, they are trashing Louisiana for all of us," said LDWF Secretary Robert Barham. "We all think that a little bit of trash here and there isn’t a big deal, but it adds up. We are blessed to live in a state with some of the world’s most phenomenal natural and wildlife resources. Protecting Sportsman's Paradise is essential to ensuring that future generations may continue to enjoy the great outdoors throughout our state. We all have the chance to do our part." In addition to citations and fines, Pick It Up or Pay It Out also wants to educate Louisianans of the indirect economic costs of littering including real estate devaluation, loss of new industry and business and loss of tourism and ecotourism, especially in "Sportsman's Paradise." "As I travel the state I continue to see trash along our Interstates, state highways and local roads. We are attempting to market Louisiana as an adventure travel destination, and we must become more aggressive in our efforts to combat this problem," Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne said. "We are a state of great natural beauty that should not be marred by carelessness and disregard." According to Keep Louisiana Beautiful, cleanup crews picked up an estimated 450,000 bags of trash in the state in 2004. KLB Director Leigh Harris states that, "Litter costs Louisiana taxpayers well over $40 million annually. With the help of Louisiana State Police, Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries, the Louisiana Sheriff's Association and the Lieutenant Governor's Office, we hope Louisiana citizens become even more aware of the legal consequences associated with littering." Littering in Louisiana can result in fines from $50 to $5,000. Those who litter can also expect to serve between four and 10 hours of community service, suspension of their driver's license for one year and even the possibility of jail time for up to 30 days. LDWF Enforcement Division agents issued 1,001 littering citations for fiscal year 2009-10 and logged 7,958 patrol hours for littering enforcement. LDWF also took over the state's 1-888-LITRBUG (1-888-548-7284) hotline last June. Citizens can call the hotline to report people that litter and littering sites to the department for further investigation. Since June 1, the Enforcement Division has received 731 calls. The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is charged with managing and protecting Louisiana's abundant natural resources. For more information, visit us at www.wlf.louisiana.gov on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ldwffb or follow us on Twitter @LDWF. About Keep Louisiana
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