Wildlife and Fisheries arrest five men unloading illegal oysters in Intracoastal City

BATON ROUGE - Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries agents cited eight men for oyster harvesting violations on March 8 in two separate cases.

In a news release, agents say they cited Juan Martinez, of Bacliff, Texas, Mariano Resendez, of San Leon, Texas, and Shirley Hebert, of Franklin, for oyster sanitation violations south of Marsh Island Refuge. Hebert was also cited for oyster logbook and refrigeration violations.

Agents later cited Leonardo Vega, Jose Cardenas-Arrendondo, Antonio Aguado, Antonio Aguado Jr. and Ricardo Rodriguez, all residing in Houma, for oyster refrigeration requirements.

Agents observed the five men harvesting oysters earlier in the day in Vermilion Bay north of Southwest Pass. The five men then attempted to offload the oysters at a dock in Intracoastal City without refrigerating the oysters.