A man in a rowboat in Discovery Bay was caught fishing illegally and was cited for numerous violations by an undercover officer with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Police.
This certainly pleased commenters on the WDFWP Facebook page where the news about the incident was reported—with the man’s actions drawing the public’s wrath—but several people made it known that the citations weren’t enough, saying his boat should have been confiscated.
Sgt. Kit Rosenberger was patrolling Discovery Bay within Marine Area 6 (connected to the Strait of Juan de Fuca on the Olympic Peninsula) when he observed the man fishing in a rowboat near the mouth of Snow Creek.
The surrounding streams only have wild runs of Coho salmon, so Rosenberger surmised that any salmon the man retained were likely wild Coho and thus illegal.
Rosenberger observed the man catch and keep four salmon in an area where the limit was two hatchery Coho.
Wearing a cover coat and carrying a fishing rod, Rosenberger hiked a distance to the beach near where the man was rowing toward some waterfront houses. When he was within earshot of the man, Rosenberger removed his coat, identified himself and ordered the man to shore. He asked him how fishing was. The man replied, “I got a couple.”
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“The man was found to have unlawfully retained five wild Coho, none of which were recorded on his catch card,” the WDFWP stated. “The man was using illegal fishing gear (barbed treble hook), and did not have any safety equipment in the vessel.
“The man will have charges referred against him in court for seven gross misdemeanors (over limit of salmon, salmon caught with illegal gear, retention of five wild salmon closed area), in addition he will be cited with five infractions for failing to record his salmon, and not having a lifejacket. Sgt. Rosenberger contemplated seizing the man’s boat even knowing he would have had to carry it a considerable distance back to his patrol truck.”
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Most commenters on Facebook praised Rosenberger for catching the poacher and voiced their disgust with the poacher, and several made it known that Rosenberger should have done more than issue citations.
“Nice job. But you should have taken his boat too,” one wrote.
“Nice job Kit! I would have helped you carry the rowboat,” another wrote.
“Should have taken the boat because I betcha he will be back at it this weekend,” another stated.
Other reactions were similar:
“Complete disregard for the law…should have seized everything.”
“Good job. Take their boat next time…and gear.”
“He could have called any of us for help carrying that rowboat! Great work.”
“This guy will more likely than not again be out in that boat to get more fish illegally–should have taken the boat and made the guy help carry it to your vehicle–no sympathy or empathy for the guy fishing at all–he was stealing fish–aka poaching–good job by the officer.”
Many also called for the justice system to level hefty fines and not just give a slap on the wrist.
Photo courtesy of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Police.
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