poachers down in MD get busted...


FIS - Worldnews - Illegal rockfish scheme investigation results in USD 1 million fines (http://www.fis.com/fis/worldnews/worldnews.asp?l=e&id=39496&ndb=1)

Wow, big fines and jail time. Hopefully, this is how they'll treat poachers going forward. It should send a message to the other poachers out there that there is more than a slap on the wrist at stake.

FANTASTIC!

The jail time is nice to see but the fines are just a slap on the wrist.

The article's mention of the fines is deceiving:
"In total, the defendants were sentenced to more than 140 months in prison, and total fines and restitution exceed USD 1,361,000."

because the last sentence is:
"It ended in 19 men and three corporations being convicted. "

Profish is liable for $880,000 of that $1.36 mil.
I'd bet the other 2 corps are paying 6 figure fines.

The largest individual fine seems to be $60,000, which comes out $5,000 per year that they've been poaching.

Definitely a step forward.

Great news! Nice to see someone finally get busted. Only down side is they let the poaching go on for 10 years while building a case.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Thought they were supposed to sieze the boat too??? Doesn't mention that.

5 months in jail is better than nothing but not in this case. This was the biggest striper poaching case in the Chesapeake, what does that tell the crooks that are robbing us of smaller amounts of fish. Why is it that the supplier does jail time but the buyers do not? If the people that are buying the fish do some time maybe the rest of them will think twice before they buy some illegal fish.

They been doing it for a decade ,,, should have got the chair .

Why did it take 5 years of undercover observation to shut this down?

In total, the defendants were sentenced to more than 140 months in prison, and total fines and restitution exceed $1,361,000.

A unit of federal and state lawyers as well as undercover officers investigated the black market operation for five years. It ended in 19 men and three corporations being convicted.

I know a MA EPO who told me about some guys who were caught poaching juvenile eels on a mass scale for the Japanese markets. They lost the boat and gear they were using and were slapped with huge fines.

A lot of the boats they use for undercover work are confiscated from poachers.

You don't see them in marked vehicles very often but they fish among us quite a bit.

Good.

...and they all- including corps, should lose their licenses to catch and sell fish.

I'm sure there are many, many more that will just be a little more wary.

As long as there are buyers there will be poachers.

It's a mankind thing. . . . a few have no problem with affecting the greater good. . . . always has been always will be.

They should Sink his boat and turn it into structure to create striper habitat

I can see their cellmates now, "hey, what are you in for"? "Me, poaching", followed by hysterical laughter.

This is awesome, fantastic............

:buds:

EXCELLENT!! we need to see more BUSTS!!!
those guys aren't the only poachers out there.

agreed with ALL of the above,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
jerk their licenses, sink their boats, close the markets!!!

there cannot be fines, or jail time, or punishment that is stiff enough.
ZERO TOLERANCE would hopefully turn things around down there~~~

Hey all!

They caught the fish gill netting. Seizing small junky boats would gain nothing. Most received jail times that were pretty substantial considering the history of enforcement by the feds. Its a start here on the Chesapeake. If you get a chance, read the entire case. You will learn why it took so long and how these guys were able to exploit a loophole in the law to their advantage.

Lets just hope they keep the pressure on!

CB

Too bad they don't bust the illegal immigrants up here in Massachusetts.
Lot's of shorts and over the limit keepers being rustled.
No speekee Eeeeengleeesh!