Employing pilot without a commission; liability of vessel, master, and owner ACTIVE

A vessel which is required to use a river port pilot pursuant to this Subpart and fails to do so when a river port pilot offers his services, the vessel, its captain, and owners shall be liable for a civil penalty and shall forfeit to the state of Louisiana the sum of fifteen thousand dollars, with privilege on the vessel, to be recovered before any court of competent jurisdiction. An action for forfeiture under this Section may be brought by the attorney general of the state of Louisiana or by the Board of River Port Pilot Commissioners. If a judgment is obtained hereunder, the court shall include in its judgment an award for reasonable attorney fees and costs incurred in connection with the prosecution of such action.