Louisiana Man Cited for Multiple Commercial Red Snapper Fishing Violations and Faces Fines and Possible Jailtime

Louisiana – A Louisiana man was cited by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) for commercial fishing violations.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries reported on February 7, 2023, that on February 6, 2023, Enforcement Division agents cited a Belle Chasse, Louisiana man for alleged commercial fishing violations.

Christopher Ricouard, 41, of Belle Chasse, Louisiana, was cited by LDWF agents for five counts of failing to keep records, five counts of failing to report commercial fish data, and two federal counts of failing to comply with individual fishing quota (IFQ) regulations for red snapper.

After began investigating Ricouard’s red snapper landings in Empire, Louisiana on December 7, 2022. Agents reportedly discovered that he had landed commercial red snapper without the proper allocation in his IFQ account, without trip tickets, and with no landing number issued by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), accepting that the landing amount had been deducted from his allocation.

Following a thorough investigation, LDWF agents and NOAA law enforcement officers discovered four additional trips and 896 pounds of unreported red snapper without trip tickets. Ricouard had already been cited twice before this case, so this is his seventh offense for failing to file commercial fish records.

Each offense of failing to keep records and failing to report commercial fish data carries a $1,000 fine and a 120-day jail sentence. In addition to any other penalty, a second or subsequent violation of the aforementioned charges may result in the revocation of the permit or license under which the violation occurred for the period for which it was issued, as well as the imposition of a prohibition on the issuance of another permit or license for the same period.

Ricouard will also be required to pay $1,572.12 in civil restitution for the illegally possessed red snapper.

All federal cases are filed with the United States Attorney’s Office in order to be prosecuted in Federal Court. NOAA’s Division of Law Enforcement is pursuing additional charges for violating federal reef fish regulations.

Lt. Adam Young, Sgt. Thomas Wolf, Corporal Austin Landry, and Senior Agent Shea Schexnaydre are the agents involved in this case.

A person is presumed innocent until proven guilty.