Lake Charles Outreach

On Nov. 18, 2009, Chief Petty Officer Joseph Gary, officer in charge of Coast Guard Station Lake Charles, along with representatives from the Gulf Regional Fisheries Technical School, Louisiana Fish and Wildlife, and commercial fishing examiners, convened at the Cameron Courthouse in Cameron, La., to talk shop with local fishermen.

This open forum discussion was an opportunity for local fishermen to bring their questions and/or concerns to the table and get the answers they were seeking.

More than 20 fishermen filed into the room, both male and female, with a variety of questions. The evening discussion began with questions regarding the proper reflective tape required on a Coast Guard approved life jacket. Other attendees questioned the proper amount of life jackets necessary for a specific vessel.

The discussion then segued into the proper procedure for waste disposal, and the various mandated safety standards that must be met such as the proper posting of placards, the need for flares onboard a vessel and the proper fire extinguisher for a boat.

“For the first meeting, we had a good turnout. People asked good questions. If one person learned something new, then we did our job,” said Gary.

This was Gary’s first town hall meeting as officer in charge of Station Lake Charles. He decided this meeting was necessary to strengthen the relationship between the Coast Guard and surrounding communities.

“The community relies on the Coast Guard and the Coast Guard relies on the community. The Coast Guard’s presence has drastically increased over the past year and we want to have a functional working relationship with the community,” said Gary.

Following the question and answer session, the attendees had the opportunity to have a one-on-one discussion with the various agency representatives present.

One particular hot topic was the subject of Turtle Exclusionary Devices, better known to the local fishermen as TEDs.

TEDs are turtle-friendly nets utilized by fishermen to allow turtles an easy escape should they become trapped in a net. Petty Officer 1^st Class Shawn Longman and Lt. Cliff Beard both from Gulf Regional Fisheries Training Center located in New Orleans, brought an example of a Turtle Exclusionary Device to the town hall meeting.

When TEDs are used offshore, the escape hatch must be 71 inches in diameter, and when used inshore the hatch must be 44 inches in diameter.

“The reason they have to be bigger is because the turtles are reported to be larger offshore as opposed to inshore,” said Longman.

Lerlene Rodrigue, a life-long Cameron resident and fishermen, was in attendance for the meeting, and was pleased with the outcome. Rodrigue owns an 18-foot flat bottom boat and harvests oysters.

“We came out tonight to make sure we stay legal and safe,” said Rodrigue.

Rodrigue’s livelihood is dependent upon the local waterways. Her family’s history is rooted deep within the community of Cameron. She and her family have braved Hurricanes Rita and Ike, and they intend on calling Cameron home for many years to come.

“I have 15 siblings and we are all fishermen. I’ve been here for 45 years. I can never see myself leaving,” said Rodrigue.