NEW ORLEANS — The Coast Guard, in consultation with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, seized approximately 30,000 pounds of shrimp 35 nautical miles south of Terrebonne Bay, Sunday, from two fishing vessels in an emergency federal fishery closed area, due to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
Coast Guard District Eight received information that fishing vessels Lady Monica and La Borrachita were fishing in the closed area. The Coast Guard Cutter Tornado and crew, homeported in Pascagoula, Miss., diverted to the area and boarded the vessels for inspection.
During the inspections, approximately 10,000 pounds of brown shrimp were found onboard Lady Monica and approximately 20,000 pounds of brown shrimp were found on the La Borrachita. The shrimp were returned to the sea.
“The Coast Guard is committed to ensuring a robust law enforcement presence in the restricted fishing area,” said Lt. Cmdr. Carmen DeGeorge, chief of the Eighth Coast Guard District law enforcement branch. “We will continue to dedicate assets to the restricted area to ensure integrity of the Gulf of Mexico seafood.”
Both vessels were issued written fisheries violations.
