Posted by JB22 on November 21, 2002 at 08:22:26:
This is THE EXACT reason why we have depleting stocks.... this is exactly why we have to identify the 'rapists' and do something about them. THIS IS WHY CLOSURES WILL NOT WORK. They will force the "commercials" to look for MASS TAKE elsewhere.....
Commercial guys (for a change) got caught with 110 UNDERSIZED lobsters... Oh... they WILL be punished the DA of Orange county said..."Orange County District Attorney's Office, Wilson said. The men could face up to $1,000 in fines and six months in jail."
$1000 in fine? Are they kidding? The guy has 400 traps out there... Some serious jail time, and PERMANENT REVOCATION OF HIS COMMERCIAL LICENSE IS THE ONLY WAY. This is what is going to discourage "other guys" from poaching... not a "reserve". Only GOD knows HOW MANY times and for how many YEARS he has been doing this, and HOW MANY likes of him are out there, doing this EVERY DAY. Every time I've gone out on a 'party' fishing boat, I've seen some serious law-breaking going on.... Yet, the DFG had FIVE GAME WARDENS hiding behind the trees at the launch ramp jumping out and yelling "GAME WARDEN" and searching returning private boaters.
Enforcement of LAWS for ALL is important..... but A LOT MORE attention needs to be given (and SEVERE penalties) to the 'Wilfully negligent takers).
Here is the link to the article:
http://www2.ocregister.com/ocrweb/ocr/article.do?id=12401