Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Enforcement Division agents arrested four men for alleged oyster harvesting violations on July 19 in Terrebonne Parish.
Agents arrested Samuel Dobson, 35, of Houma, Spencer Callahan, 22, of Houma, Luciano Desendez, 42, San Leon, Texas, and Dean Porche, 37, of Houma, for taking oysters during a closed season on the Sister Lake Public Oyster Seed Reservation. The captain of the vessel, Dobson, was also cited for violating log book and running light requirements.
On the evening of July 19, LDWF agents were on patrol when they observed a vessel in the Sister Lake Seed Reservation actively dredging for oysters.
Agents stopped the vessel and found the four men in possession of two sacks of oysters. Agents seized the vessel, oyster dredges and returned the oysters to the water. The men were booked into the Terrebonne Parish Jail.
With this latest violation Dobson violated the terms of his probation, which prohibited him from being on an oyster harvesting vessel for 10 years. Agents cited him on Dec. 18, 2014, for harvesting oysters from Sister Lake. He pleaded guilty on May 19, 2015.
The Sister Lake Public Oyster Seed Reservation is closed for the 2014/15 season.
Taking oysters during a closed season brings a $900 to $950 fine and up to 120 days in jail. Violating the running light requirement brings up to a $50 fine and up to 15 days in jail. Violating the logbook sanitation code requirements carries up to a $25 fine and up to 10 days in jail.
Agents participating in this care are Sgt. Ted Dewitt, Senior Agent Ryan Breaux, Senior Agent Thomas Wolf and Senior Agent Richard Bean.
For more information, contact Adam Einck at 225-765-2465 or aeinck@wlf.la.gov.