Kodiak crabber fined $25,000, pots forfeited

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Kodiak
Type: Commercial crab closed season
On 11/2/17 during a patrol on the P/V Cama'i, the Alaska Wildlife Troopers pulled and inspected 156 commercial Dungeness crab pots belonging to the F/V Silver Fox, operated by Raleigh Eager, 47, of Kodiak. All 156 pots were baited and in fishing configuration after the season had closed on Oct. 31, 2017. The pots were seized and transported back to Kodiak. On 1/15/19 Eager pled guilty on multiple counts of commercial Dungeness crab fishing during a closed season. Eager was fined $25,000 and the 156 pots were forfeited to the state of Alaska.

Kodiak man accused of interfering with gear

From the Alaska State Troopers and state court records:

Location: Kodiak
Type: Interference with fishing gear
On 11/15/16 Alaska Wildlife Troopers contacted Robert Nelson Sr., 42, of Kodiak, at his residence. An ongoing investigation found Nelson had operated the F/V Katherine earlier this year and interfered with and retained commercial groundfish pots belonging to another commercial vessel. Nelson has been charged with three counts of interfering with fishing gear, a misdemeanor.

Juneau crabber fined $3K after no contest plea

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Juneau
Type: Sentencing
On 11/6/15 Dennis J. Capua, 60, of Juneau, pled no contest in Juneau District Court to one count of operating commercial Dungeness crab gear during a closed season. Capua was fined $6,000 with $3,000 suspended and placed on probation for 18 months. The charges stemmed from an investigation by Juneau Wildlife Troopers which showed that Capua had failed to remove at least 64 crab pots from the waters of Stephens Passage before the summer season closed on 8/15/15.

Troopers cite King Cove cod fisherman over gear

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: King Cove
Type: Unlawful gear
On 1/31/14 Alaska Wildlife Troopers cited Andrew Wilson, 25, of King Cove, for commercial fishing for Pacific cod with unlawful groundfish gear near Sanak Island. Upon inspection of Wilson's P-cod pots, operated by the F/V Miss Courtney Kim, it was determined several pots had tunnel eye openings greater than 36 inches. Arraignment set for 2/18/14 in Homer District Court.

Dungeness crabber charged, pots seized

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Sitka
Type: Commercial fish closed season
On 12/6/13 Alaska Wildlife Troopers aboard the P/V Enforcer inspected commercial Dungeness crab gear in Ushk Bay. Investigation revealed Daniel Ellingsen, 65, of Sitka, permit holder on the F/V Summer Girl, was operating baited pots after the commercial season had closed on 11/30/13. On 12/13/13 Ellingsen was issued a citation charging him with operating commercial Dungeness gear during a closed season. Nineteen pots were seized. Arraignment set for Sitka District Court.

Prince William Sound shrimper cited

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Unakwik Inlet, Prince William Sound
Type: Shrimp gear
On 4/24/13 Richard Corazza, 29, of Anchorage, was cited by the Valdez Wildlife Trooper for operating more commercial shrimp pots than allowed by regulation, and failing to display 12-inch vessel identification numbers. Corazza was allowed to operate 30 shrimp pots on his fishing vessel, but investigation revealed he operated 58 pots. Arraignment set for 5/23/13 in Valdez District Court.

King Cove cod fisherman cited, pots seized

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Dutch Harbor
Type: Commercial fish closed season
On 2/24/12 Melvin E. Koso Jr., 34, of King Cove, was cited by Dutch Harbor Wildlife Troopers for commercial fishing during a closed season for Pacific cod near Cold Bay with the F/V Melanie Sue. Koso also was found to be fishing gear that was not properly identified with the F/V Melanie Sue's Alaska Department of Fish and Game number. A total of 11 groundfish pots were seized as evidence. Koso was given an arraignment date of 4/20/12 in Valdez District Court.

Shrimper pleads no contest, draws $1,000 fine

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Yakutat
Type: Plea
On 6/8/11 Alaska Wildlife Troopers on board the patrol vessel Enforcer cited Robert Bulard, 57, of Yakutat, for operating commercial shrimp pots that failed to have a legal biodegradable escape mechanism. Bulard was issued a summons to appear in Yakutat District Court on the same day. At the arraignment Bulard plead no contest and was fined $1,000 and placed on probation for three years.

Dungeness crabber found guilty, fined $1,500

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Sitka
Type: Update — crabbing closed season
On 6/13/11 Pete Roddy appeared in Sitka District Court for trial for operating commercial Dungeness crab pots during a closed season. Roddy was found guilty and fined $4,000 with $2,500 suspended. Roddy also was placed on one year of probation, not to commit any fish and wildlife violations. Roddy's three crab pots were returned to him.

Sitka crabber fined, allowed to buy back pots

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Juneau
Type: Update — improper gear
On 5/19/11 Troy A. Denkinger, 44, of Sitka, pled guilty to one count of operating commercial Tanner crab gear that did not contain the proper size of escape rings. He was fined $2,000 with $1,000 suspended. Denkinger was also allowed to purchase back his seized Tanner pots at $500 per pot.

Sand Point, King Cove groundfish harvesters cited

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Dutch Harbor
Type: Illegal groundfish pot
On 3/21/11 Danny Cumberlidge, 36, of Sand Point, was cited by Dutch Harbor Wildlife Troopers for commercial fishing as the skipper and permit holder aboard the F/V Sea King with a groundfish pot having a tunnel eye opening perimeter greater than 36 inches. A court date was set for 4/12/11 in Valdez District Court.

Location: Dutch Harbor
Type: Illegal groundfish pot
On 3/18/11 Bill Sager, 52, of King Cove, was cited by Dutch Harbor Wildlife Troopers for commercial fishing as the skipper and permit holder aboard the F/V Pacific Quest with a groundfish pot having a tunnel eye opening perimeter greater than 36 inches. A court date was set for 4/26/11 in Valdez District Court.

Troopers ticket cod fisherman near Chignik

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Near Paul Island, in the Chignik Pacific cod district
Type: Operating unlawful gear for groundfish
On 3/7/11 Kodiak Wildlife Troopers issued a citation to Benjamin T. Allen, 32, of Port Angeles, Wash. Allen was commercial fishing with Pacific cod pots with tunnel eye openings larger than 36 inches. Allen was given a court date of 4/13/11 in Naknek District Court.

Southeast shrimper hit with multiple violations

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Craig
Type: Shrimping violations
On 12/4/10 Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Ketchikan Post, cited Dustin Peters, 33, of Ketchikan, for commercially fishing for shrimp during a closed season, for failing to equip his commercial shrimp pots with a biodegradable escape mechanism, and for longlining more than five commercial shrimp pots on one line without having a buoy attached to both ends of the longline. These violations occurred in the marine waters of Moira Sound near Prince of Wales Island. A mandatory court date was set in the Craig court.

Sitka man cited for unlicensed Dragon Lady

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Sitka
Type: Vessel license
On 6/14/10 Sitka Wildlife Troopers contact Stonie C. Huffman, 37, of Sitka, after observing him transporting commercial crab gear with the M/V Dragon Lady which was not licensed as a commercial fishing vessel. Huffman was cited and required to license the vessel before further transporting pots. Bail was set at $210 in the Sitka District Court.

Several Norton Sound crabbing violations alleged

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Norton Sound
Type: Illegal crab pots
On 3/31/10, while on commercial crab patrol in Norton Sound via state snowmachines, Alaska Wildlife Troopers issued two citations to Nome resident Frank McFarland for failing to have proper escape rings in several of his commercial crab pots.

Location: Norton Sound
Type: Employ unlicensed crewman
On 3/31/10, while on commercial crab patrol in Norton Sound via state snowmachines, Alaska Wildlife Troopers issued a citation to Nome resident Johnnie Noyakuk for employing an unlicensed crewman. A citation was also issued to Nome resident Elliot Olanna for failing to have a crewmember license.

Location: Norton Sound
Type: Illegal crab pots
On 3/31/10, while on commercial crab patrol in Norton Sound via state snowmachines, Alaska Wildlife Troopers issued a citation to Nome resident Anthony Shelp for failing to have proper escape rings on one of his commercial crab pots.

Location: Norton Sound
Type: Gear violations
On March 28 and 29, during a commercial crab patrol on state snow machines on the Norton Sound sea ice, Alaska Wildlife Troopers located three unmarked commercial pots, one commercial pot without the required escape rings and one without a sufficient biodegradable escape mechanism. Following further investigation, Frank Carruthers of Nome was issued citations on all five counts.

Getting loaded the right way at Dutch Harbor

Unalaska police are cracking down on improper hauling of crab pots.

KUCB radio has the story.

Juneau crab crew hit with multiple gear violations

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Gustavas
Type: Gear violations
On 3/17/10 Sitka-Juneau Wildlife Troopers charged James M. Martin, 80, of Juneau, and crewmembers Kenneth Merculief, 51, Robert Mortell, 47, and Patrick Ellisoff, 47, all of Juneau, for multiple counts regarding gear violations in the Icy Strait commercial Tanner crab fishery. The investigation started 2/16/10 when several of Martin's Tanner pots were inspected. The pots displayed tags that had been sworn to be lost by Martin. Additional gear checks revealed Martin was operating pots which were unmarked, marked with the wrong Alaska Department of Fish and Game number, did not display any Tanner crab pot tag, displayed voided Tanner crab pot tags, did not have escape rings, had escape rings set too high above the bottom of the pot, and had oversize biodegradable cotton. The four men are scheduled for arraignment in Juneau court.

Petersburg man cited for lack of vessel license

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Kake
Type: No commercial vessel license
On 02/23/10 Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Petersburg Post, issued a citation to Jay Edgley Barnett, 51, of Petersburg, in Fanshaw Bay near Kake for no commercial vessel license. An investigation by troopers revealed Barnett was transporting commercial brown king crab pots from the fishing grounds to a storage location without having his current vessel licensed with the state Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission. Bail was set at $210. An optional court appearance was set for 03/11/10 in the Kake District Court.

Petersburg crabber accused of illegal pot storage

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Petersburg
Type: Illegal storage of crab pots
On 01/31/10 Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Petersburg Post, issued a summons to Ralph Allen Strickland, 42, of Petersburg, for illegally storing commercial Dungeness crab pots. An investigation by troopers revealed Strickland stored five pots in the waters of Duncan Canal while the commercial Dungeness crab season was closed. Arraignment is scheduled in the Petersburg District Court for 1000 hours Feb. 25.

Troopers charge pot fisherman with gear violation

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Bristol Bay
Type: Illegal biodegradable escape mechanism
On Nov. 9, Dutch Harbor Wildlife Troopers issued a citation to Glenn Ethan Casto, 39 years of age, of Snohomish, Wash., for commercial fishing groundfish pots with illegal biodegradable escape mechanisms. Arraignment is scheduled for Dec. 2 at 1310 hours in the Unalaska District Court.