Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Enforcement Division's Oyster Strike Force (OSF) cited 12 oyster fishermen on March 13 for alleged oyster violations in Bay Gardene located in Plaquemine’s Parish.

After receiving complaints of illegal activity, OSF agents patrolled the Bay Gardene area in late afternoon.  Agents observed the subjects, Santos Rodriguez, 44, Luis Zarrago, 31, Lazaro Perez, 41, Raul Calderone, 57, and Juvenal Cardenas, 38, all from Houma; and Guillermo Cardenas, 29, Damaso M. Cardenas, 61, and Jenaro A. Arredondo, 22, of Gray; and Juan R. Rodriguez, 26, of Houston, Texas; and Judge Masese Williams, 65, and Ameal Wilson, 56, both of Kentwood; and Bobby E. Magee Jr., 33, of McComb Miss.; in the closed area.  Bay Gardene has been closed the entire 2008-09 oyster season.

Agents apprehended and cited the men for taking oysters during a closed season.  Agents also seized 146 sacks of oysters.

The penalty for unlawfully taking oysters from state water bottoms is a fine up to $350, imprisonment for up to 60 days, or both plus courts costs.  Any person convicted of these violations, may for one year after the date of such conviction, only harvest oysters from a vessel that employs a vessel monitoring system.  Access to the monitoring system shall be granted to LDWF.  For that year, the person convicted of these violations shall identify for the department which vessel he will be using to harvest oysters.

Agents participating in the case were Sgt. Bryan Marie and Senior Agent Mike Garrity.

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Enforcement Division agents cited a Jonesville man on March 10 for alleged recreational fish violations in Catahoula Parish.

Timothy James Cagle, 27, of Jonesville was cited for taking game fish illegally from hoop nets.

Agents observed Cagle raising and emptying hoop nets into his boat.  Cagle was stopped and found to be in possession of 32 crappie, 11 bream, one goggle-eye and one bass.  Agents seized the fish and three hoop nets as evidence and later donated the fish to charity.

Taking game fish illegally carries a fine up to $750, jail time up to 120 days, or both plus court costs.  The state will also be seeking civil restitution for the value of the illegally taken fish.

Agents participating in the case were Sgt. James Parish and Charlie Ferrington.

A Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Enforcement Division agent cited three Gonzales residents for littering in Ascension Parish on Feb. 19.

Senior Agent Randy Lanoux was traveling south along Highway 61 in Ascension Parish when he observed three trucks pulling trailers traveling in succession.  The trailers contained partially covered pallets of crushed aluminum cans and other scrap aluminum, which was flying off onto the roadway and into the path of passing vehicles.

Lanoux stopped the vehicles and cited Shai Stafford, 41, Sidney Ballard, 63, and Shadd Ballard, 36, for simple littering.  Lanoux then made them properly secure the loads before continuing on.

The penalty for first offense simple littering is the option of paying a $75 fine or performing eight hours of community service in a litter abatement program, plus a special $100 court cost.

The public is reminded that when hauling items in the back of pickup trucks or on trailers, the items must be properly secured and/or covered to prevent inadvertent litter on public roadways.  Failure to do so could result in being issued a citation.

District Attorney Phil Haney of the 16th Judicial District comprising Iberia, St. Martin and St. Mary parishes donated Global Positioning System (GPS) units for Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Enforcement Division Agents for use in search and rescue operations.

Haney presented nine Garmin NUVI-205 GPS units to (LDWF) Region 6B agents to use in patrol vehicles.  The global positioning aids will enhance response times to complaints and benefit agents daily in local search and rescue operations.

District Attorney Haney has been instrumental in working with LDWF Enforcement Division agents in the protection of the state’s natural resources.

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Enforcement Division agents cited three Louisiana men for allegedly possessing over the limit of shark on Feb. 19.

Agents stopped a commercial fishing vessel for license compliance during a National Marine Fisheries Service joint enforcement patrol.  Joseph A.  Norman, 46, of Covington, Shane C. Acosta, 34, of Slidell, and Carl M. Acosta, 36, of Slidell, had all of their proper licenses, but were found to be in possession of over the limit of shark.

At this time the commercial limit for shark is 33 sharks per vessel per day.  The subjects were found to be in possession of 85 sharks at the time of the stop.

The penalty for taking over the limit of shark commercially carries a fine between $100 to $350 per offense, or jail time up to 60 days, or both plus court costs. 

Agents participating in the case were Senior Agent Robert Cosse Jr. and Senior Agent Jason Gernados.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) officially opened a new $3.5 million regional office in Minden on Feb. 26. The facility will house the agency’s Enforcement, Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Divisions.

“Our daily customer service capabilities have been increased and we can now be more inter-active within the community as needs arise for group meetings and classroom presentations that serve our conservation mission,” said LDWF Secretary Robert Barham.

The 15,000 square-foot facility replaces a 6,000-square-foot building that had housed LDWF regional office personnel since 1963. Located southwest of Minden on U.S. Hwy. 80, the multi-purpose building provides office, laboratory and meeting room space for Wildlife Division and Inland Fisheries Division biologists, Enforcement Division agents and administrative staff serving LDWF Region 1 in northwest Louisiana.

“After many years of proposals, planning and patience as funding details were hammered out, the structure now in place is a very functional facility that will serve the constituents of Sportsman’s Paradise very well for many years,” said Sen. Robert Adley (Dist. 36, Benton).

The new facility will serve as the focal point for developing educational opportunities with regional universities, schools, other governmental agencies and conservation organizations.  It will also provide a convenient location for conducting hunter and aquatic education classes, as well as Boating Safety courses.

“As our young citizens utilize this building for class instruction in outdoor education and boating safety, I hope the Wildlife and Fisheries’ biologists and enforcement agents can inspire some to follow career paths in fish and game management,” said Rep. Jean Doerge (Dist. 10, Minden).  “Some may eventually work out of this same building some day.”

The Louisiana National Guard (LANG) worked cooperatively with LDWF to provide approximately 28 acres of state property being managed by LANG in exchange for a similar parcel of LDWF property in Webster Parish.

“Wildlife and Fisheries has always worked closely with the LA National Guard when our missions meshed in the region and this facility is a good example of government entities working together to satisfy mutual needs and better serve the public as an end result,” said Col. R.D. Stuckey, Camp Minden commander.

The facility, designed by Richard LeBlanc Architects, Inc. (Shreveport), was constructed to continue operating during emergencies and provide LDWF Enforcement personnel a location to coordinate first-response services to the region and the state.  Walker Construction of Ruston was the builder.

The new LDWF Region 1 office is easily accessible from surrounding parishes via Interstate 20.  Office hours for the new LDWF Region 1 office, 9961 U.S. Hwy. 80, are 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.  To reach LDWF personnel at the new Minden office, call:

* Enforcement Division ph. 318-371-3049
* Operation Game Thief 24-hour hotline 1-800-442-2511
* Inland Fisheries Division ph. 318-371-3050
* Wildlife Division ph. 318-371-3050