Four divers arrested in Laguna for lobster poaching

[one_leg]

http://beach.freedomblogging.com/author/lconnelly/


Four divers arrested in Laguna for lobster poaching
November 18th, 2008, 4:37 pm by Laylan Connelly, staff writer

Four divers were arrested in Laguna Beach last weekend for allegedly lobster poaching, or stealing lobster from commercial fishermen’s traps.The Department of Fish and Game arrested the suspects during two all-night operations.Here’s more info from a press release put out today:“Lobster trap poachers have always been a problem for commercial lobster fishermen,” stated Eric Kord, skipper of the patrol boat Thresher, whose crew spearheaded the operation. “For a poacher, traps can be tempting targets. Stealing from them can also earn a poacher a felony grand theft conviction.”Those arrested include: Oscar Pinon, 37 of Anaheim, Anton Vasilescu, 32 of Alisa Viejo, Robert Hartman, 31 of San Jacinto, Louie Maldonado, 48 of Apple Valley.During the operation, wardens also wrote citations for an undersized lobster, otherwise legally harvested, and use of illegal gear to harvest lobster.

[Ronira]

They are so screwed. Well you get what you deserve sometimes. Sorry about your luck ya buttlicks.

[Nessie Hunter]

Stupid!!! Stupid!!! Stupid!!! Stupid!!!

Oh well, glad they got caught... :Evil:

[SOSO]

Dumb a$$e$..

[Troutman65]

:Cool: glad they got busted. Thanks for the post O_L

[one_leg]

In the past they have used bugs tagged with a special dye that cannot be detected without a special UV lightsource. The lobsters were placed in commercial traps. As divers left the water they would be asked to produce their catch and the wardens would arrest those with marked bugs. I am not sure if that was the case in this instance. I have a feeling that the same method was used to catch the scofflaws this time too.

If only there were a lot more agents to enforce the regs. and catch these foos. I can wish, right?

[Troutman65]

O_L Quote : If only there were a lot more agents to enforce the regs. and catch these foos. I can wish, right?

I agree :Cool:

[BIGRED KILLA]

And thats why i like to see more dfgs around the harbors then around some of these lakes to many salt water poachers.






Bigred

[spooks]

these guys are not young kids, they are all over 30. I guess some people just never grow up.

[WARRIORMIKE]

Ninja fishing at its finest :Rolls Eyes::Rolls Eyes::Neutral:

[one_leg]

I would tell the judge I was "Liberating" them in the name of animal rights!!!

Long live the fight against crustacean incarceration!!!

[Skaguy04]

FELONY GRAND THEFT! wow...
Good that they got them!

[SoCalGuy7]

What a bunch of turds!

[RamboBoy]

They must be hungry and theft the lobsters from the traps, due to no encomony in their pockets. What da ya think?

[Badfish2]

DFG Ownage.

[willis949]

Yea I know when times are tough for me the first thing I think of is taking the time and money to steal lobsters from commercial traps.You do know that every fast food place in California has a dollar menu.If these scumbags were hungry due to the economy save the gas money and buy Top Ramen or Cup of Noodles.Too many people are using the economy as an excuse to be a theiving loser.

[Tail Chaser]

A bunch of low lifes stealing other peoples lobster.
Glad they got caught.

[CoffeaRobusta]

Nice work DFG! I think it's true that most poachers are repeat offenders.

Here's the story from DFG....

California Department of Fish and Game News Release Nov. 17, 2008

Contacts:
Warden Patrick Foy, Public Information Officer, 916-508-7095
Lt. Eric Kord, Patrol Boat Thresher, 619-921-5959

DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME WARDENS WORK WITH COMMERCIAL LOBSTER FISHERMEN TO CATCH POACHERS

Department of Fish and Game (DFG) wardens arrested four lobster poachers over the weekend on two all-night operations. The SCUBA-clad poachers were stealing lobsters from commercial fishermen’s traps.

“Lobster trap poachers have always been a problem for commercial lobster fishermen,” stated Eric Kord, skipper to the patrol boat Thresher, whose crew spearheaded the operation. “For a poacher, traps can be tempting targets. Robbing them can also earn a poacher a felony grand theft conviction.”

Arrested and booked were 37-year-old Oscar Pinon of Anaheim, 32-year-old Anton Vasilescu of Alisa Viejo, 31-year-old Robert Hartman of San Jacinto and 48-year-old Louie Maldonado of Apple Valley. All dive gear related to the commission of the crimes was seized.

During the operation, wardens also wrote citations for an undersized lobster, otherwise legally harvested, and use of illegal gear to harvest lobster.

While surveilling the shoreline for poaching activity, wardens ended up coordinating a rescue of a panicked diver who was in danger of drowning. Two wardens had to quickly don wetsuits to assist and while lifeguards rescued the diver, the wardens recovered his dive gear. Once the rescue was made and the scene was secured, the rescued diver’s partner was found to be in possession of illegally harvested scallops and was appropriately cited.

Making these kinds of cases requires extensive coordination between DFG wardens and commercial fishermen. Poaching losses can add up quickly for commercial fishermen and are taken very seriously in California state law. According to Section 487 (b)(2) of the California State Penal Code, grand theft occurs: “When fish, shellfish, mollusks, crustaceans, kelp, algae or other aquacultural products are taken from a commercial or research operation which is producing that product, of a value exceeding one hundred dollars ($100).” The law is similar to a long-standing law making it a felony to steal more than $100 worth of agricultural products from a farmer. At the current commercial price of $10.50 per pound, a poacher who steals seven lobsters from a trap (the normal legal recreational limit) will have stolen in excess of the $100 threshold.

[watergod55]

Dirt Bags...

[adiablo420]

pay the price if u get caught doing the crime.. Those guys are in some deep s*#t.