California should take a page out of Florida's treatment of lobster poachers

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Geez, the authorities are being kinda anal about this aren't they? He only had 267 and most of them were small. If he were eating them at a rate of seven (7) per day, he'd only have had enough to last thirty-eight (38) days. Maybe he couldn't find anyone else to pass his extras along to or forgot his grill so he couldn't eat the ones that put him over his limit immediately right there on the beach. Of course, he might simply have forgot the butter; cooking the extras would have been a problem. Without a doubt, catching all those baby lobsters was probably the most awesome experience he ever had!

On a more serious note, I hope they smack him with the 'book' really hard.

-AZTinman
 
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This was this poachers 3rd offense. Apparently leniency was involved in the first, and a clerical error in the second. I heard he was overheard bragging to his cellmate about dodging the first 2 and would skate on this also.

Arrogance? hubris? Darwin? Karma? He is long overdue to get what he deserves and be made an example.

Happy Diving!
Elena
 
I'm sure it was just an honest mistake. He probably applied for a commercial license but Florida Fish & Game sold him the wrong permits. Maybe when he gets out of jail on these trumped up charges he can get a job with Sundiver International. I hear they have an opening.
 
Good points Phil!

Regardless of the injustices this poor, maligned individual suffers at the hands of the over zealous fish & game guys, I'm sure catching all those baby lobsters was just the most amazingly, awesome experience he ever had.

What was that popular 1960's song I'm trying to remember? Oh yeah, Where Have All the Lobsters Gone.

-AZTinman
 
I'm sure it was just an honest mistake. He probably applied for a commercial license but Florida Fish & Game sold him the wrong permits. Maybe when he gets out of jail on these trumped up charges he can get a job with Sundiver International. I hear they have an opening.

Dont tell me he's (we all know who) captaining one of Ray's boats....another reason not to dive with them....
 
Don't worry folks.
I fully expect that this ungrateful POS will find a way to beat the rap somehow.
The high bail amount was set by the judge in order to keep this A-hole locked up in some manner, as he will be a free man fairly quickly after a plea deal or trial.
We really do not have very stiff penalties for game law violations down here.
I attribute this to my 1/2 adoptive state being controlled by a northern Florida controlled legislature.
They are pretty permissive on game law violators.
 
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I've already started hearing some divers I know whining that they only have about 40 tails in their freezer so far this season. Don't lobster start deteriorating the the freezer after a few weeks and don't taste nearly as good as fresh? If someone wants frozen lobster tails, I'm sure there are less expensive ways to get them at the grocery store than going diving

The lobster traps are all set up west of the Point Dume MPA. Since lobster season started, I've seen hardly any lobster around Leo Carrillo or Deer Creek, and others have said they haven't seen as many at Topanga or Malibu Rd in the last few weeks compared to the start of lobster season. The lobster traps at Leo Carrillo and Deer Creek have been empty or had only a single undersize one every time I swim by them. Maybe poaching won't be much of a problem in a year or two if there aren't any lobster to take. On the other hand, MPAs seem to work, with big schools of fish and too many lobster to count if my recent dives have been representative of other MPA areas. Simplest solution is probably to treat poachers like lobster and boil them :wink:
 
Let's just hope that those lobsters who reside at Leo Carrillo, Deer Creek, Topanga and Mailbu Rd weren't vacationing in Florida recently.

-AZTinman
 

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