The U.S. state of Louisiana is seeking USD 77,400 (EUR 66,917) in restitution from a commercial crabber caught operating without a license.
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) first began inspecting Lafitte, Louisiana, U.S.A. resident Chadwick Martin after discovering that he was a sponsor in the Louisiana Fisheries Forward Commercial Crab Gear Requirements program despite not having a license for commercial crabbing gear. The investigation revealed additional discrepancies, including the fact that Martin had harvested crab in both 2023 and 2024 without a license.
“Agents also found that Martin sponsored an apprentice through the Crab Gear Requirements program from 24 July 2023 to 23 July 2024 without possessing an active crab trap gear license,” LDFW said in a release. “Agents learned that Chadwick falsified his Louisiana Fisheries Forward Commercial Crab Gear Requirements application in order to become a sponsor in the crab apprenticeship program.”
Agents confronted Martin 15 November in Jefferson Parish, where he admitted to participating in the crab gear program and fishing in 2023 and 2024. Agents cited him for crabbing without a commercial gear license and filing false public records. Martin faces potential punishments of a fine of up to USD 500 (EUR 432) and 90 days in jail for fishing without a commercial gear license and a fine of up to USD 5,000 (EUR 4,323) and five years in jail for filing false public records.
However, Martin could end up paying far more than that. The state is also asking Martin to pay USD 77,400 in civil restitution for the 38,700 pounds of blue crabs he illegally harvested from 2023 through 2024.
