Three men were caught with a truckload of oversize redfish in Grand Isle on Oct. 8.
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) senior agent Norman Deroche pulled over a white F-250 at 6:48 a.m. on La. Hwy. 1 in Fourchon. In the truck bed, he found 25 overslot reds. Each drum measured between 28 and 40 inches long, all outside the state’s 16- to 27-inch slot limit.
Donisote Santos, 53, of Chalmette, Jose Goronci, 43, of Metairie, and Jose DiSalva, 49, of Kenner, were cited with possession-limit violations and taking red drum in excess of 27 inches.
Louisiana fisheries received the tip from an alert angler who claimed that three males were fishing over the limit for red drum at the Caminada Pass Bridge. A licensed Louisiana fisherman can keep one red drum in excess of 27 inches per day and possess two red drum in excess of 27 inches if fishing for multiple days. Since DiSalva did not have a fishing license, this put the other two men 21 fish over the limit.
According to LDWF, taking more than the limit of red drum brings a $400 to $950 fine and up to 120 days in jail. Possessing red drum above the limit in excess of 27 inches is a $100 to $350 fine and up to 60 days in jail. In addition, red drum carry a $150 fine for each fish over the limit. Failure to have a saltwater license is a $50 fine and up to 15 days in jail. The men could also face civil restitution of $555 for the replacement value of the red drum taken.
