November 15th, 2016 — Louisiana’s wildlife and fisheries secretary said he’s ordered a “complete internal review” of his agency’s operations after auditors found questionable spending, missing state-owned property and shoddy management of finances under past leadership.
“I was very disturbed to learn that (the department) deviated from its core mission and best management practices,” Charlie Melancon, who took over the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries this year, wrote in response to an audit released Monday.
The review by Legislative Auditor Daryl Purpera’s office details widespread financial issues across the department under Melancon’s predecessor, raising questions about millions of dollars in spending. For example, auditors say Gulf oil spill recovery money intended for fish testing instead paid for unnecessary iPads, cameras, boats and now-missing fishing equipment.
Draft audit findings had been previously reported by The Associated Press in September. Purpera’s office released the official report publicly Monday, which included Melancon’s response.
The publicly-released audit toned down language used in the draft version that had suggested the fish testing program was so mismanaged that it “cannot ensure that the work accomplished was sufficient” to declare the seafood was safe. Instead, the final version cites a 2015 state health department report that said the sample results found substances that “were below concentrations that could potentially threaten the public’s health.”
Read the full story from the Associated Press at The Advocate