Posted by . on September 21, 2002 at 09:15:33:
ORIENTAL GROCER FACES CHARGES ON SPORT FISH
By Ed Zieralski
STAFF WRITER
September 15, 2002
OUTDOORS REPORT
A joint sting operation Friday by the Department of Fish and Game and
the San Diego harbor police led to the arrest of a Rancho Pe*asquitos
market owner on suspicion of illegally possessing and selling
sport-caught game fish.
Ida LaSalle, 54, owner of Aida's Oriental Mart at 9995 Carmel Mountain
Road, was charged with illegal possession of sport-caught fish and
selling sport-caught fish.
Adolfo Adona, 48, a store employee, was charged with selling
sport-caught fish. The charges are misdemeanors, with each count
carrying a maximum penalty of six months in jail or a fine ranging from
$2,000 to $7,500.
Fish and Game warden Eric Kord said the operation began shortly after
he received a call from San Diego harbor police that they had arrested a
man for stealing fish from the sportfishing boats' unloading dock in
Point Loma.
Kord arrived at the landing and saw that harbor police Lt. Ken Franke
and officer Mike Rich already had Khanh Nguyen in custody. They found
him with large plastic bags that he allegedly stole from the Port of San
Diego and a truckload of sport-caught fish.
Nguyen was charged with receiving stolen property and grand theft of
sport-caught fish, both felony charges. Nguyen was taken to County Jail
and remains in custody.
Franke told Kord they were watching a woman they also suspected was
stealing fish.
"They were stealing fish from customers getting off the boats," Kord
said. "The fish is spilled out onto the dock and divided up, but these
people come out and soon as they get the chance, grab a fish and hide it
in the bushes."
As Franke and Rich questioned Nguyen, Kord checked Nguyen's truck and
found a business card for Aida's market.
"It said it was an Oriental market and advertised fresh fish and
shrimp," Kord said.
The woman Franke and Rich were watching eventually slipped away, but
Kord said he and Franke followed their only lead and visited Aida's Mart
in Carmel Mountain Ranch to see if any sport-caught fish were for sale.
Franke went inside and asked if they sold fish.
"I told them I was having a big barbecue and that I needed whole fish,"
Franke said. "I was led into a cooler that was loaded with sport-caught
fish, tags from just about every multiday boat in the fleet."
Franke knew they were sport-caught because they had the tags from the
boats on them. All fish caught on a sport boat are tagged with a white
tag that often includes the boat's name, but the fish always have the
angler's number on them for identification purposes after the trip.
"Ken saw the sport tags and told them he had to go ask his wife what
she wanted, and that he'd be back," Kord said.
That allowed more wardens and harbor police – a team of six in all
– to gather for a raid on the store. Franke went back in and bought
five yellowtail for $91. All five were sport-caught yellowtail with
sport boat tags on them. The wardens and officers entered the store and
uncovered an estimated 250 pounds of sport-caught fish – mostly
yellowtail but a mix of albacore and one bonito.
Kord said the illegal sale of sport-caught fish is not a widespread
problem, or something that exists at major grocery chains. But he said
it does go on at smaller markets and restaurants when fishing is really
good, as it has been this summer.
"It's something we really monitor closely," Kord said. "First, it's a
health issue. These people take these fish and try to peddle them.
There's no telling how long the fish was laying in the bushes before
they moved it for sale. They're introducing that into the marketplace,
making it a severe health issue."
Kord said the sale of sport-caught fish also undermines the entire
commercial fishing business.
"On the one hand you have a commercial fisherman who is legitimate, has
a license and a permit, his boat is registered and he has refrigeration
for his catch," he said. "He follows set rules for fishing, but then the
black market comes along like this and undermines the system."
Kord added that it also gives the sport fleet a bad name "even though
they and their customers are the victims."
"The legitimate sportfishing industry suffers when this happens," Kord
said. "The sport boat industry has to identify these individuals. It's
better for everyone when they are caught and taken away."
Franke said the stealing of fish at the landings has become a huge
problem for the sportfishing fleet.
"You have someone who has spent a lot of money for a multiday fishing
trip, but when he gets back to the dock, his fish get stolen," Franke
said. "This has been going on for years and has gotten worse and
worse."