In Reply to: divers in spearing of giant black sea bass plead guilty posted by on August 18, 2005 at 15:01:24:

Man Gets Probation, Public Service Work

SAN DIEGO -- A scuba diver who speared a protected giant sea bass in the La Jolla Ecological Reserve pleaded guilty Thursday to a misdemeanor charge and was sentenced to probation and 30 days of public service work.

Omid Adhami, 34, also must forfeit his fishing license and give up his dive gear, including a sophisticated computer, said Deputy City Attorney Michael Rivo. He also was fined $1,000 and ordered not to fish in San Diego.

Commissioner Sandra L. Berry suspended a 90-day jail sentence as long as Adhami successfully completes his three years on probation.

Adhami pleaded guilty to one count of unlawfully taking a giant sea bass.

Nima Hodaji, 26, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of entering the La Jolla conservation area to take marine resources, and was sentenced to the same conditions as Adhami, without the public work service and suspended jail sentence.

Adhami was present at Thursday's court hearing but Hodaji was not.

The operator of the boat that took Adhami and Hodaji to the ecological area on April 24, Navid Adibi, pleaded no contest June 30 to ignoring "no boating" and "no fishing" signs in the ecological area and was fined $500.

Adhami admitted using a spear gun to kill the 171-pound giant sea bass.

Hodaji was diving with Adhami at the time, prosecutors said earlier.

The men were spotted in the La Jolla Reserve by San Diego lifeguards, who sent a rescue vessel. Once on the scene, lifeguards discovered the dead fish and took the men into custody.

According to court documents, Adhami has six felony convictions, including receiving stolen property, burglary, auto theft and submitting false insurance claims.

The defendant went to prison in 1994 and was paroled 2½ years later, court papers show.

Hodaji pleaded guilty to fishing without a license last Dec. 29, prosecutors said.

Giant sea bass, which can grow up to 500 pounds, are known in the diving community as docile, curious and slow-moving fish. The bass are a protected species off the California coast.

• Channel 10 San Diego News