Three Louisiana Men Cited for Illegally Harvesting Oysters After Complaints

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries reported on July 1, 2022, that enforcement agents cited three Louisiana men on June 27 in Plaquemines Parish for alleged oyster violations.

Long Nguyen, 68, of Port Sulphur, Louisiana, Wayne P. Williams, 57, of Empire, Louisiana, and Trung Do, 54, of Buras, Louisiana, were charged with illegally taking oysters from a private lease and failing to obtain written permission. Nguyen was also cited for a violation of the logbook.

Agents were patrolling Grand Bayou near Buras, Louisiana, responding to theft complaints from local leaseholders, when they noticed three people harvesting oysters by hand in a 24-foot skiff. Agents made contact with the occupants and discovered that they were harvesting oysters from another person’s private lease without the leaseholders’ written permission. Nguyen also neglected to record accurate harvest data on his Department of Health time and temperature log sheet.

Unlawfully taking oysters from a private lease without written permission can result in a $950 fine and 120 days in jail. The violation of the logbook carries a $25 fine and up to 10 days in jail.

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries indicated that they could also revoke the men’s oyster harvester licenses for up to a year. In addition, violators may be sentenced to 40 hours of community service and be restricted to harvesting oysters from vessels equipped with a vessel monitoring device for up to a year.

Agents confiscated 25 sacks of oysters and returned them to the bottoms of private lease waterways. The vessel was seized by LDWF until the case was resolved in court.

LDWF Sgt. Jason Gernados and Senior Agent Shea Schexnaydre are among the agents involved in the investigation. The case will be prosecuted by District Attorney Charles Ballay.