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A Buras man pled guilty to his fifth offense of using skimmers in a closed season on Dec. 9 in the 25th Judicial District of Plaquemines Parish.

Judge Kevin Conner accepted Tommy Bertehlot’s, 43, plea and revoked his commercial shrimp privileges for two years. He also cannot be on any shrimp vessel possessing shrimp, or gear to take shrimp without having a vessel monitoring system that is monitored by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Enforcement Division for a period of three years. He was also placed on two years inactive probation.

LDWF agents encountered Berthelot on April 9, 2020 using skimmers during a closed season in the back levee canal located in Plaquemines Parish. This was Berthelot’s fifth offense of the same violation.

Berthelot was also issued a citation while in court for allowing an unlicensed fisherman to use his vessel during a closed shrimping season on July 29, 2021.

Allowing an unlicensed fisherman to use your vessel carries up to a $500 fine and 90 days in jail.

Assistant District Attorney Jerry Lobrano prosecuted the case for the State. Agents participating in all the cases involved were Lt. Adam Young, Sgt. Villere Reggio and Corporal Thomas Forehand.