Posted by Wayne on October 02, 2001 at 00:54:18:
In Reply to: Update on the San Diego lobster poacher posted by shark-92107 on October 01, 2001 at 22:38:25:
...the defense lawyer said. "These are crimes against crustaceans. I hope we can keep things in perspective."
Well I say: "This is a crime against all of us."
This jerk is a poacher who is taking game illegally for commercial purposes. Even if you believe that bending a rule is OK (taking a marginal bug that barely fails to meets size or grabing the first bug at 11:58, for example) NOBODY can justify this fellow's poaching for profit.
He is a thief and the restaurant is also guilty of recieving stolen property. He stole those bugs from us legal hunters and trappers. I say that he should get the full penalties. He did the crime and should do the time. This was not an accident!
The restaurant employee buying should be charged with buying stolen merchandise or whatever they call buying poached game. The business should also be required to pay the maximum fines.
If people find out that there is a severe penalty for breaking the law, there will be fewer willing to risk the penalties.
Death to Poachers!
Wayne