Posted by Concerned Sock Puppet on August 02, 2002 at 15:18:26:
In Reply to: LA lobster poaching case information posted by shark-92107 on August 02, 2002 at 10:48:05:
Steve Huggard
District Attorney's Office
10025 East Flower Street
Bellflower, CA 90706
Room 374, Third Floor
RE: Main defendant -- HAND, Jon Michael
Court -- Los Cerritos Municipal Court
Case No. -- 2LC02232
Arraignment Date -- August 8, 2002
Dear Mr. Huggard,
As a concerned citizen and devoted SCUBA diver, I want you to know that we, in the diving community, take the charges against Mr. Hand very seriously. The actions of which he is accused hurt not only the commercial fishing industry, but the recreational diving community as a whole, and the environment.
I enjoy seeing the aquatic life while diving . The protected areas set aside for recreational take only provide, provides an area for the species to reproduce with limited fishing, or taking of species (lobster in this case). The poaching of these areas hurts everyone and results in over fishing and the eventual cessation of all take, commercial or recreational, and the placement on the endangered species list. Witness the Giant Black Sea Bass and the Abalone, once plentiful along our coast, and now all but gone from local waters.
I would like to encourage you in your efforts to prosecute Mr. Hand, and it is my desire that justice will be served and upon conviction, a stiff sentence handed down. It is only through this type of example can we hope to curb poaching in the future.
Regards,