Keeping four short lobsters cost a Berlin man $800.

[pdive]

Keeping four short lobsters cost a Berlin man $800.

Anthony Gorgone, 39, of 80 Brook Lane, Berlin, was ordered to pay that amount by Jennings for keeping four lobsters shorter than the 3.25-inch minimum size limit.

Gorgone pleaded guilty to keeping the small lobsters and entered another guilty plea for keeping a female lobster, violating marine fishing regulations. He was ordered to pay a $100 fine for the second offense.

A charge stemming from Gorgone's failure to display a scuba diving flag was dismissed upon request from the state.

Gloucester police investigated the area of Seaside Cemetery after receiving reports from nearby residents that divers were keeping short lobsters on June 19, 2007. According to the police report, officers asked Gorgone and a diving partner if they had any short lobsters and Gorgone replied yes. Gorgone also admitted he knew the regulated size limits. Gloucester police contacted the Massachusetts Environmental Police. The state environmental police seized Gorgone and his friend's diving gear and sought the criminal complaint on July 2, 2007.

:no

Gloucester District Court - GloucesterTimes.com, Gloucester, MA

 

[yak]

Keeping four short lobsters cost a Berlin man $800.

Anthony Gorgone, 39, of 80 Brook Lane, Berlin, was ordered to pay that amount by Jennings for keeping four lobsters shorter than the 3.25-inch minimum size limit.

Gorgone pleaded guilty to keeping the small lobsters and entered another guilty plea for keeping a female lobster, violating marine fishing regulations. He was ordered to pay a $100 fine for the second offense.

A charge stemming from Gorgone's failure to display a scuba diving flag was dismissed upon request from the state.

Gloucester police investigated the area of Seaside Cemetery after receiving reports from nearby residents that divers were keeping short lobsters on June 19, 2007. According to the police report, officers asked Gorgone and a diving partner if they had any short lobsters and Gorgone replied yes. Gorgone also admitted he knew the regulated size limits. Gloucester police contacted the Massachusetts Environmental Police. The state environmental police seized Gorgone and his friend's diving gear and sought the criminal complaint on July 2, 2007.

:no

Gloucester District Court - GloucesterTimes.com, Gloucester, MA

I have two reactions to this. First, this guy deserves everything he got, and I'm angry that he made everyone else look bad.

Second, how do residents determine that divers are taking shorts? It sounds like a broad-brush attack, which unfortunately Mr. Gorgone helped to perpetuate.

I'm glad I don't have to dive up there.

 

[pdive]

...this guy deserves everything he got...

Is that $900 in total fines plus he lost his gear? How can someone be so stupid? Go to Stop & Shop and buy them from the tank if you need lobster that badly. What a moron.

 

[james croft]

But are you required to tow a dive flag at the Stop and Shop?

 

[Rainer]

But are you required to tow a dive flag at the Stop and Shop?

Only in Gloucester. One per shopping cart.

 

[diversteve]

Private 4 Course Lobster Dinner at Legal Sea Foods...$65.00pp.

Catching your own shorts and getting caught...$900.

Getting your name permanently entered in the Gloucester District Court record...Priceless.

 

[drbill]

The guy knew he was doing wrong; the guy deserved everything he got. I have nothing but contempt for poachers.

 

[ScubaSarus]

We had a diver that poached on us during a Stonington Point dive a few years back. He quickly exited the water and threw a bag of all sort of sizes into his truck and took off. Sad thing is since he was a buddy of a few of the divers, they stuck up for him afterwards and we did have a discussion about it here. Once the truth came out, the guy dissappeared from ScubaBoard and stuck to his boat diving.

Glad to see enforcement got these guys. The locals know whats going on because these guys were doing it blatantly and probably broadcasting it loudly and thinking about all that lobster they'll be eating with thier butter (the irrational mind takes over).

 

[Skeeter1097]

good to hear it. If they where in Fl. it would have been worse.

 

[decapoddiver]

We had a diver that poached on us during a Stonington Point dive a few years back. He quickly exited the water and threw a bag of all sort of sizes into his truck and took off. Sad thing is since he was a buddy of a few of the divers, they stuck up for him afterwards and we did have a discussion about it here.

That night was the reason I have never been back to Stonington. I just couldn't understand how anyone could defend those idiots and watching what they did made me feel sick.