Man sentenced in case involving Alaska geoducks

Details in this press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Seattle.

Troopers arrest geoduck harvester at Ketchikan

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Ketchikan
Type: Warrant arrest

The Alaska Wildlife Troopers arrested Tremaine Lawrence, 34, of Washington state, on an outstanding bench warrant. Lawrence originally was charged with taking an overlimit of commercial geoducks and knowingly recording false information on a fish ticket.

Geoduck harvester cited at Ketchikan

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Ketchikan
Type: Geoduck violations
On 1/14/16 Alaska Wildlife Troopers cited Andrew Lindner, the permit holder of the F/V Mary Lou, for failing to attach a Department of Environmental Conservation tag to each container of geoducks. He also was cited for failing to complete his dive logbook prior to leaving the harvest site. A mandatory appearance is set for 2/15/16 in Ketchikan District Court.

Troopers cite Prince of Wales geoduck diver

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Prince of Wales Island
Type: Unlawful use of dive gear
Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Klawock Post, cited James Alexander, 54, of Craig, for unlawful use of dive fishing gear after he remained in the water following closure of the 3/27/14 geoduck fishing period in Portillo Channel. A mandatory court appearance is set for 4/4/14 in Craig.

Geoduck guy goes to jail

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Ketchikan
Type: Commercial fish closed period
On 3/7/13 Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Ketchikan Post, cited Jeremy Thuet, 42, of Olympia, Wash., for commercial fishing for geoduck clams during a closed period. Arraignment set for 3/26/13 in Ketchikan District Court.

Location: Ketchikan
Type: No CFEC permit
On 3/14/13 Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Ketchikan Post, cited Jeremy Thuet, 42, of Olympia, Wash., for fishing for and possessing geoduck clams without having in possession a Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission permit. Arraignment set for 3/26/13 in Ketchikan District Court.

Location: Ketchikan
Type: Warrant arrest
On 3/14/13 Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Ketchikan Post, arrested Jeremy Thuet, 42, of Olympia, Wash., on two warrants for failing to appear in court on the original charges of DUI and driving while license suspended. Thuet was remanded to the Ketchikan Correctional Center on $1,000 bail.

More charges filed in geoduck fishery

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Craig
Type: Overlimit of geoduck clams, falsify fish ticket
On 3/15/13 Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Klawock Post, cited Marc Reynolds, 55, of Kingston, Wash., for harvesting an overlimit of geoduck clams on 11/1/12. Reynolds was further charged for falsifying an Alaska Department of Fish and Game fish ticket related to that overage. Arraignment set for 3/29/13 in Craig District Court.

Location: Craig
Type: Use of dive gear during commercial geoduck closure
On 3/15/13 Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Klawock Post, cited Marc Reynolds, 55, of Kingston, Wash., on two counts of unlawful use of dive gear. Reynolds was observed in the water with dive gear during a closed period on two separate occasions. Arraignment set for 3/29/13 in Craig District Court.

Location: Craig
Type: Use of dive gear during commercial geoduck closure
On 3/15/13 Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Klawock Post, cited Patrick Davis, 40, of Ketchikan, on two counts of unlawful use of dive gear during a closed period. Arraignment set for 3/29/13 in Craig District Court.

Troopers make five geoduck overlimit cases

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Craig
Type: Overlimit of geoduck clams
On 3/12/13 Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Klawock Post, cited Forest Collins, 39, of Craig, for retaining more than the maximum limit of geoduck clams for a commercial fishing period set out by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Arraignment set for 3/22/13 in Craig District Court.

Location: Craig
Type: Overlimit of geoduck clams
On 3/12/13 Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Klawock Post, cited Colin Darrah, 50, of Seattle, for retaining more than the maximum limit of geoduck clams for a commercial fishing period set out by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Arraignment set for 4/11/13 in Craig District Court.

Location: Craig
Type: Overlimit of geoduck clams
On 3/1/13 Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Klawock Post, cited Jim Farmer, 29, of Craig, for retaining more than the maximum limit of geoduck clams for a commercial fishing period set out by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Arraignment set for 3/22/13 in Craig District Court.

Location: Craig
Type: Overlimit of geoduck clams
On 3/12/13 Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Klawock Post, cited Eric Reimer, 33, of Ketchikan, for retaining more than the maximum limit of geoduck clams for a commercial fishing period set out by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Arraignment set for 4/11/13 in Craig District Court.

Location: Craig
Type: Overlimit of geoduck clams
On 3/6/13 Klawock Wildlife Troopers cited Desi Mangini, 25, of Silverdale, Wash., for retaining more than the maximum limit of geoduck clams for a commercial fishing period set out by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Arraignment set for 3/27/13 at Craig District Court.

Ketchikan man accused of geoduck overlimit

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Craig
Type: Overlimit commercial geoduck clams
On 2/14/13 Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Klawock Post, cited Samuel Swanson, 48, of Ketchikan, for harvesting an overlimit of geoduck clams on 11/1/12 after the Alaska Department of Fish and Game establish a trip limit for the fishery. Arraignment set for 3/1/13 in Craig District Court.

Geoduck fisherman charged with overharvest

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Craig
Type: Overlimit of geoduck clams
On 1/10/13 Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Klawock Post, cited Marc Reynolds, 57, of Craig, for harvesting and delivering an overlimit of commercial geoduck clams on 11/1/12. Arraignment set for 2/1/13 in Craig District Court.

Geoduck, sea cucumber cases result in fines

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Ketchikan
Type: Conviction
On 5/8/12 Le Jiayong, 57, of Ketchikan, was cited by Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Ketchikan Post, on 19 counts of falsifying commercial fish tickets and unlawful possession of commercially taken geoduck clams. Le was cited after investigation revealed he had purchased commercially taken geoducks from four fishermen and provided false weights on Alaska Department of Fish and Game fish tickets. Investigation by Ketchikan and Klawock Wildlife Troopers found that Le misreported the actual weights of clams and failed to report clams that had been harvested in excess of trip limits. On 10/25/12, through a plea agreement made with the Ketchikan District Attorney's Office, Le had 18 charges dismissed and pled guilty to one count of falsifying fish tickets. Le was fined $250 and placed on a year's probation.

Location: Ketchikan
Type: Conviction
On 4/10/12 Le Jiayong, 57, of Ketchikan, was cited by Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Ketchikan Post, for returning 22 commercial fish tickets later than the seven-day requirement. On 10/25/12, through a plea agreement made with the Ketchikan District Attorney's Office, Le had 21 charges dismissed and pled guilty to one count of failing to return fish tickets in the time required. Le was fined $2,500 and placed on a year's probation.

Location: Ketchikan
Type: Convictions
On 10/1/12 Matthew R. Pressly, 48, of Ketchikan, and Gregory S. Shaw, 34, and Samantha M. Pressly, 24, both of California, were cited by Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Ketchikan Post, for commercial fishing for sea cucumbers in closed waters. They were cited after troopers observed the F/V Lorelei commercial diving for sea cucumbers in closed waters of Trollers Cove on the east side of Prince of Wales Island. Investigation revealed the vessel had harvested 1,395 pounds of sea cucumbers from closed waters. The state seized the load of sea cucumbers valued at $5,580. On 10/19/12, through a plea agreement made with the Ketchikan District Attorney's Office, the three pled guilty to one count of commercial fishing in closed waters. Each defendant was fined $1,000 with a $500 suspended, and placed on a year's probation. Also, the proceeds of the seized sea cucumbers were forfeited.

Two accused of exceeding geoduck limit

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Craig
Type: Overlimit commercial geoduck clams
On 12/6/12 Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Klawock Post, cited James Alexander, 53, of Seattle, for harvesting geoduck clams on 11/15/12 that exceeded the fishery limit set by an Alaska Department of Fish and Game emergency order. Arraignment set for 1/11/13 in Craig District Court.

Location: Craig
Type: Overlimit commercial geoduck clams
On 12/6/12 Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Klawock Post, cited Desi Mangini, 25, of Silverdale, Wash., for harvesting geoduck clams on 11/1/12 that exceeded the fishery limit set by an Alaska Department of Fish and Game emergency order. Arraignment set for 1/11/13 in Craig District Court.

Two charged with exceeding geoduck limit

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Ketchikan
Type: Overlimit of geoduck clams
On 11/1/12 Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Ketchikan Post, cited Brian Zwick, 42, of Ketchikan, for retaining more than the limit of geoducks for the commercial fishing period set out by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. A mandatory court appearance was scheduled for 11/15/12 in Ketchikan District Court.

Location: Ketchikan
Type: Overlimit of geoduck clams
On 11/1/12 Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Ketchikan Post, cited Robert Mead, 44, of Olympic, Wash., for retaining more than the limit of geoducks for the commercial fishing period set out by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. A mandatory court appearance was scheduled for 11/30/12 in Ketchikan District Court.

Geoduck divers find trouble at Craig

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Craig
Type: Conviction — commercial fish closed waters
On 11/1/12 Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Klawock Post, cited Eric R. Larson, 32, and Morris B. Mattson, 46, both of Petersburg, for commercial fishing for geoduck clams in closed waters. Both individuals pled no contest in Craig District Court and were fined $3,000 with $1,500 suspended. The court ordered each to pay restitution of $2,000 for the illegally taken geoducks.

Location: Craig
Type: False information on fish ticket
On 11/8/12 Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Klawock Post, cited both permit holders of the fishing vessel The Edge for unlawfully signing a fish ticket with an inaccurate weight after a delivery of commercially harvested geoducks at the E.C. Phillips processing plant in Craig. Randall Selness, 49, of Olympia, Wash., and Ian Walt, 47, of Friday Harbor, Wash., were issued a summons to appear in Craig District Court.

Troopers charge two geoduck clam harvesters

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Craig
Type: Commercial fish closed waters
On 11/1/12 Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Klawock Post, cited Eric Larson, 32, and Morris Mattson, 46, both of Petersburg, for commercial fishing for geoduck clams in closed waters. Both were issued a summons to appear in Craig District Court.

Troopers hit geoduck buyers with multiple counts

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Ketchikan
Type: Falsify commercial fish tickets, unlawful possession
On 5/14/12 Leslie Lewis Harris, 53, of Ketchikan, was cited by Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Ketchikan Post, on 16 counts for falsifying commercial fish tickets and unlawful possession of commercially taken geoduck clams. Harris was cited after investigation revealed he had purchased commercially taken geoducks from four fishermen and provided false weights on Alaska Department of Fish and Game fish tickets. Investigation by Ketchikan and Klawock State Troopers found that Harris misreported the actual weights of commercially taken geoduck clams and failed to report geoduck clams that had been harvested in excess of trip limits established by Fish and Game. Arraignment is scheduled in Ketchikan District Court.

Location: Ketchikan
Type: Falsify commercial fish tickets, unlawful possession
On 5/14/12 Pacific Sun Products LLC, of Ketchikan, was cited by Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Ketchikan Post, on 19 counts for falsifying commercial fish tickets and unlawful possession of commercially taken geoduck clams. Pacific Sun Seafoods was cited after investigation revealed it had purchased commercially taken geoducks from four fishermen and provided false weights on Alaska Department of Fish and Game fish tickets. Investigation by Ketchikan and Klawock State Troopers found that Pacific Sun Seafoods misreported the actual weights of commercially taken geoduck clams and failed to report geoduck clams that had been harvested in excess of trip limits established by Fish and Game. Arraignment is scheduled in Ketchikan District Court.

Ketchikan man hit with slew of geoduck violations

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Ketchikan

Type: Falsify fish tickets, unlawful possession

On 5/8/12 Le Jiayong, 57, of Ketchikan, was cited by Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Ketchikan Post, on 19 counts for falsifying commercial fish tickets and unlawful possession of commercially taken geoduck clams. Le was cited after investigation revealed he had purchased commercially taken geoducks from four fishermen and provided false weights on Alaska Department of Fish and Game fish tickets. Investigation by Ketchikan and Klawock State Troopers found that Le misreported the actual weights of commercially taken geoduck clams and failed to report geoduck clams that had been harvested in excess of trip limits established by Fish and Game. Arraignment is scheduled in Ketchikan District Court.

Geoduck fisherman charged with two violations

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Ketchikan
Type: Overlimit of geoducks
On 4/19/12 Jesse Hoyt, 36, of Ketchikan, was cited by the Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Ketchikan Post, for harvesting and retaining more than the maximum limit of geoducks for a commercial geoduck fishing period. Hoyt was assigned a mandatory court date of 5/1/12 in Ketchikan District Court.

Location: Ketchikan
Type: Employee unlicensed crewmember
On 4/26/12 Jesse Hoyt, 36, of Ketchikan, was cited by the Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Ketchikan Post, for employing an unlicensed crewmember while engaging as the permit holder in a commercial geoduck clam fishery. Hoyt was assigned an optional court date of 5/8/12 in Ketchikan District Court. Bail was set at $260.

Troopers ticket Sitka sea cucumber harvester

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Sitka
Type: Unlawful possession commercial sea cucumbers
On 3/22/11 Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Sitka Post, cited Edwin H. Laity, 39, of Sitka, for possessing more than 2,000 pounds of sea cucumbers during a fishing period on 10/7/10. Laity was issued a summons to appear for arraignment in Sitka District Court.

Two geoduck harvesters charged at Craig

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Craig
Type: Geoduck violations
On 3/12/11 Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Klawock Post, summonsed two permit holders from the fishing vessel Sea Shell, Brian H. Zwick, 41, and Jesse M. Hoyt, 35, both of Ketchikan, on two counts each of the following: harvest of geoducks in closed waters, unlawful use of dive gear, and making a false statement on an Alaska Department of Fish and Game fish ticket. The charges stem from a three-week investigation by the Alaska Wildlife Troopers. Zwick and Hoyt are to appear for a mandatory court arraignment in Craig District Court.

Geoduck fishermen fined $12,900 after guilty plea

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Ketchikan
Type: Update — commercial fish closed period, unlawful use of dive gear, failure to ID commercial geoduck catch
On 2/11/11 Eric Riemer, 31, of Ketchikan, and Collin Darrah, 49, of Washington, pled guilty in Ketchikan District Court on a total of seven commercial fishing violations. Their combined fines totaled $12,900. This case was investigated by the Alaska Wildlife Troopers after receiving multiple complaints of illegal commercial fishing activities being committed by Riemer and Darrah.