A Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) enforcement agent cited a Port Sulphur man for alleged oyster violations on Feb. 28.
The agent cited Randy Johnson, 61, for misbranded seafood, selling fish without a wholesale/retail dealer license and failing to complete trip tickets.
A joint investigation between LDWF, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Enforcement and the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources resulted in the citations.
LDWF agents found that Johnson was harvesting oysters in Louisiana following green tag protocols, which stipulates oysters must be consumed fully cooked. He then labeled the oysters with tags from several oyster processors in Port Sulphur even though the oysters never passed through those processors.
Johnson then sold the oysters to a Mississippi man who sold them raw to consumers in Mississippi. Agents also discovered Johnson did not have the necessary wholesale/retail dealer license and never completed trip tickets for any of the sales.
Misbranding seafood brings up to a $1,000 fine and a year in jail. Selling fish without a wholesale/retail dealer license and failing to complete trip tickets each carries a $250 to $500 fine and 90 days in jail for each offense.
