Fishermen urge Cameron Parish to press state for answers on dredging, sediment and settlement

Fishermen and residents told the Cameron Parish Police Jury that sediment and increased salinity linked to recent marsh dredging and a prior settlement are still harming fish and crab populations and urged jurors to press the state for information.

At the meeting, local angler Anthony Terio told jurors that fishing patterns have changed and that popular marsh areas were crowded when school let out: “We rode to Rockefeller. You couldn't find a place to park,” he said, adding fishermen were seeing fewer crabs and marsh fish. Terio said residents had sought but not received a clear settlement update from the state regulator identified in the discussion as Kyle and asked the parish to request an official response.

Jurors acknowledged the parish’s limited direct authority over state-concern permits but said they could use their position to request reports and send letters on official letterhead. Mr. Sunny, a jury member who organized the agenda add-on, and other jurors agreed to ask the parish administrator to reach out to the regulator for an official response and to compile resident statements and letters that could support the request.

The discussion referenced a wildlife and fisheries report that jurors said attributed extra sediment and higher salinity to the dredging project; jurors said they want a clear, dated response about what monitoring has been done and whether further action is planned. No formal directive creating a requirement for state action was issued; jurors approved sending a request for information and indicated they would pursue follow-up if the regulator did not respond.

Next steps: jurors agreed to prepare a letter from the Police Jury requesting an official response and any reports from the regulator, and to accept resident documentation to support the inquiry.