SF Sues Fisherman for Illegal Crab Trapping at Farallon Islands
By Katy St. Clair, Bay City News Foundation
San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin announced on Friday that his office will be suing a commercial fisherman for allegedly fishing unlawfully in the North Farallon Islands State Marine Reserve.
The civil prosecution, in conjunction with California’s Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), came after a commercial fisherman reported seeing crab traps belonging to another commercial fisherman in the protected area.
The estuarine areas and marine reserves near the Farallon Islands are protected and people are prohibited from removing any fish or other wildlife from the region. The Farallon Island archipelago lies 30 miles outside the Golden Gate and is a unique ecosystem that is home to thousands of diverse species, the DA pointed out.
The Farallon Islands National Wildlife refuge is surrounded by one of the most spectacular & biodiverse marine ecosystems on the planet. While created to protect seabirds and marine mammals, the refuge also supports rare bird species and feeding grounds for whales and white sharks. A prime location for research and wildlife and habitat conservation.
Eric Kord, assistant chief for the Marine Enforcement District with CDFW, said the incident was a “large-scale” unlawful take, and he thanked the sharp-eyed fisherman for reporting it. According to Boudin, CDFW found 92 crab traps that were marked with tags belonging to Tam Tran, who lives in Vallejo and operates out of a fishing vessel he dubs The Pacific Mist.
Authorities spent multiple days seizing and photographing the traps, the DA said. Ultimately, they released 250 Dungeness crabs back into the marine reserve. Traps in the region can do more than just collect wildlife illegally. According to the CDFW, whales migrate around the islands and can become entangled in traps, along with sea turtles.
Boudin is bringing the lawsuit against Tran under California’s unfair competition law. Fishing in the protected area is a misdemeanor with fines up to $40,000, the DA’s office said.
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