Two fishermen sentenced for possessing protected sea bass
- Thread starter MaxBottomtime
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cmburch
Contributor
I do not know. It seems that $75 and three weeks community service is too light. The fish never should have been dragged ashore, landed or hung for display before releasing.
fnfalman
Contributor
The poor fish looked like it was about dead while being reeled in.
OP
$75 fine and beach cleanups aren't much of a deterrent. Most of the people on the pier that day would probably take a chance and keep a GSB knowing they would only get a slap on the wrist if caught. Budget cuts and not enough DFG wardens are bad enough, but when judges and attorneys continue letting people off with small fines, there is little hope of protecting marine life.
FrankPro1
Contributor
How the hell did a $1,000 fine and/or six months in jail turn into 75 bucks and some community service!? Ignorance of the law is no excuse. These types of rulings only further the "risk v.s reward mentality" of poachers who illegally pursue this magnificent species for so called trophies. Though I've apparently been around them many times "dive buddies saw them while oblivious frank focused on a macro shot or what not", the one time I've actually seen them I was star struck. My buddy Charlie and I were free-diving at Lovers Cove and an adult pair was cruising along in the column. We both dove down to about 20-25ft to greet them and spent about 10-15seconds "felt like hours" staring into those big eyes of theirs. Their immense size and seemingly lack of fear was memorizing. An event I will never forget.
Rich805Howell
Registered
poor fish. thing is dead from the getgo it looks like.
I am a scuba spear hunter, deepsea fisherman, and this is just sad. A fish this size is producing thousands of babies, and now it's dead and wasted.
It appears, regardless of what they said, that no one had any regard for saving that fish - it was just a stupid mob.
I really think that a felony is overkill, but a higher fine and community service (hundreds of hours) would be good for all. They both should be there right in the middle of their community at that Pier, telling them what the protected species are and why their are conserved, and how to catch and release.
Unfortunately, "catch and release" ends up torturing and killing the fish anyway, but simply cutting the line as close to the fish would have been far better than this mess.
It appears, regardless of what they said, that no one had any regard for saving that fish - it was just a stupid mob.
I really think that a felony is overkill, but a higher fine and community service (hundreds of hours) would be good for all. They both should be there right in the middle of their community at that Pier, telling them what the protected species are and why their are conserved, and how to catch and release.
Unfortunately, "catch and release" ends up torturing and killing the fish anyway, but simply cutting the line as close to the fish would have been far better than this mess.
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An angler should be able to identify most fish he or she is likely to catch. They should know the fish & game laws for them as well.
To say we don't have enough money in the state coffers to enforce fish & game laws (especially in the newly designated MPAs) would be enough impetus to give folks like these a REALLY stiff fine both as a deterrent to them and others and to build up the funds to do the enforcement job properly.
Of course if you make the risks substantial enough, there will be less of this happening in the first place.
We had a local fisherman shoot and kill five sea lions and even shoot at humans. He was given a pretty light fine and sentence given what code allows for.
To say we don't have enough money in the state coffers to enforce fish & game laws (especially in the newly designated MPAs) would be enough impetus to give folks like these a REALLY stiff fine both as a deterrent to them and others and to build up the funds to do the enforcement job properly.
Of course if you make the risks substantial enough, there will be less of this happening in the first place.
We had a local fisherman shoot and kill five sea lions and even shoot at humans. He was given a pretty light fine and sentence given what code allows for.
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