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CHECKPOINT NETS 26 ABALONE
CITATIONS
Published on June 16, 2002
© 2002- The
Press Democrat
BYLINE: JEREMY HAY
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
PAGE: B3
Authorities cited 26 people for abalone violations
Saturday at a Highway 1 checkpoint set up to coincide with a
series of extremely low tides.
Most citations went to people who inaccurately recorded
the number of sought-after mollusks they caught, said Lt.
Steven Riske of the state Fish and Game Department.
Others were for removing abalone from the shell,
which makes it impossible to measure them. Divers are not
allowed to harvest abalone smaller than seven inches.
Wardens at the checkpoint at Russian Gulch, about three
miles north of Jenner, screened 594 southbound vehicles,
pulling over 207 for further inspection, Riske said.
In all, 682 people were questioned. In addition to the
abalone violations, eight people were cited for reeling
in undersized fish.
``It was a little slower than in the past, but it still
kept us busy,'' said Riske, who called the results
encouraging.
``It's a good level of compliance and it's been getting
better every year,'' he said.
The seven-month abalone season opened April 1.
This year marks the first since strict new regulations were
installed to prevent overfishing.
In December, Fish and Game cut the allowed red
abalone catch per day to three and the season limit to
24, down from four a day and 100 per season.
``I think because the limit has been reduced, people
are really picking the days they go,'' said Riske, who noted
that in previous years upward of 800 cars have been screened.
The season closes during July and resumes in August
until the end of November.
In May, Fish and Game wardens arrested three Cloverdale
men for poaching and selling abalone. The men could
face three years in prison and fines of up to $10,000 if
convicted.
About 95 percent of the state's abalone fishing
takes place between Fort Bragg and Jenner. Since 1997,
abalone sport fishing south of the Golden Gate has been
banned.
Poaching remains a problem, as abalone can fetch
between $50 and $100 apiece on the black market, according to
law enforcement officials.
You can reach Staff Writer Jeremy Hay at 762-9667 or
jhay@pressdemocrat.com. Keywords: FISHING CRIME LAW
POLICE
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