Company donates to reef program

A representative of ChevronTexaco was on hand at a recent meeting of the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission to show the company’s support and evidence their cooperation with the Louisiana Artificial Reef Program. Jeff Theriot of ChevronTexaco presented a check in the amount of $465,000 to Rick Kasprzak, Artificial Reef Coordinator for the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.

The donation was a result of the cooperative work that has been going on in the Gulf of Mexico between the Artificial Reef Program and petroleum companies such as ChevronTexaco. Specifically, an obsolete ChevronTexaco oil rig was donated to the program. The 2,274-ton rig was severed 15 feet below the mudline, towed 22 miles to a location 90 miles south of New Orleans and sunk.

The site now has the potential to become a prime fishing spot for Louisiana anglers.

In addition to the donation of the apparatus, ChevronTexaco pledged one-half of the savings made possible by their participation.

Pilot, agent recognized by commission

The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission recently recognized the outstanding work of two LDWF employees. Wildlife Enforcement Lt. Brian Clark and Pilot Gene Rackle were presented with awards for lifesaving and excellent work, stemming from a dramatic rescue on January 8.

Lt. Colonel Charlie Clark presented the awards to the agent and pilot after recounting the events that led to the rescue of Sammy F. Adams of Slidell.

Adams, 75, was rescued in the Stump Lagoon area of the Biloxi Wildlife Management Area after his boat ran aground. Adams attempted to pull his boat out on his own, but quickly became mired in mud up to his waist. Clark responded to the call with the assistance of Rackle, who was off-duty at the time. They located the trapped boater and he was eventually pulled out of the mud.

Crawfish dealer sentenced

The LDWF Special Investigative Unit recently closed its case against Cavalier Seafood. The owner, Dennis P. Cavalier, 34 of Pierre Part entered a plea of guilty in East Baton Rouge Parish to the charges of falsifying fisheries information. Cavalier pled on behalf of himself and his corporation, DPC Trucking LLC doing business as Cavalier Seafood, for the violations.

The case originated from complaints of seafood dealers and an investigation followed. It was revealed that Dennis Cavalier and Cavalier Seafood purchased crawfish from commercial fisherman, failed to maintain records of purchases and later submitted falsified monthly fishery landing reports. Cavalier entered a guilty plea for filing/maintaining false records.

He was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine, a $4,000 investigative cost and court costs.