Louisiana Man Cited For Alleged Charter Guide Violations in Plaquemines Parish and Offshore

Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana – A Louisiana man was cited for alleged charter guide violations in Plaquemines Parish and offshore.

The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Enforcement officers have reportedly cited a man from Mandeville for alleged violations of charter guide regulations in Plaquemines Parish on July 16.

Officers issued a citation to Rene Luminais, 37, of Mandeville, Louisiana for not possessing a charter guide license from LDWF and for not having a recreational offshore landing permit (ROLP), which is mandatory for charter activities.

The authorities documented Luminais escorting clients on paid fishing expeditions four distinct times without the mandatory U.S. Coast Guard license, LDWF charter guide license, or liability insurance. They also discovered that Luminais was conducting offshore trips with clients trying to catch red snapper, even though he did not have the necessary charter ROLP.

Captains of charter boats, especially those operating with a federal charter/head boat permit, must possess a valid charter ROLP in order to catch and keep species like tunas, billfish, swordfish, amberjacks, groupers, snappers, hinds, cobia, wahoo, grey triggerfish, and dolphinfish in the waters of Louisiana. The charter ROLP ensures permission for all paying customers on a charter trip to fish.

If a charter guide license is not obtained, it can lead to a maximum penalty of $950 and 120 days imprisonment for each journey made. Moreover, anyone found guilty for the second time of breaching charter guide rules, in addition to any other prescribed punishment, can only operate a ship that uses a vessel tracking system for the next three years following the conviction date. Not getting an ROLP comes with a $50 penalty.

Senior Agent Heather Fitzgerald and Lt. Adam Young are the agents involved in the case.

All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty.