Sold $15 Fried Speckled Trout Plates -- Now He's Facing Fines

A Louisiana wildlife case highlights the legal risks of selling recreationally caught fish. Slidell resident Markeegan J. Gray, 22, was cited after authorities investigated allegations that he sold fried speckled trout plates from his home using fish he said he personally caught. The investigation followed Facebook posts advertising plates for $15 each, according to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Officials said the trout were caught in Lake Pontchartrain about two weeks earlier. The case reportedly resulted in the seizure of 104 speckled trout fillets, which were donated to a local charity. Under Louisiana law, selling recreationally caught seafood requires commercial licenses, not recreational permits. The article notes fines ranging from $400 to $950 and up to 120 days in jail, plus $1,625 in civil restitution for Gray.