Sitka man charged with exceeding 12-king limit

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Sitka

Type: King salmon overlimit

On 9/5/24 Alaska Wildlife Troopers cited Gary McMaster, 74, of Sitka, after he landed 14 king salmon at a local processor when a total of 12 were allowed for Sept. 1-10, during the commercial troll limited harvest season for king salmon. Arraignment was set in Sitka District Court. Two king salmon were donated to a local charity.

Troller cited, salmon seized at Sitka

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Sitka
Type: Possess king, coho during closed period
On 8/11/23 Alaska Wildlife Troopers investigated a report of coho salmon being delivered from a troll vessel which had retained the fish during a closed period. Investigation revealed Jeffrey Odam, 54, of Oregon, had retained five coho salmon and one king salmon while participating in the commercial chum salmon fishery. Retention of king and coho salmon was closed by emergency order when the fish were retained. The fish were seized and Odam was issued a summons to appear in Sitka District Court.

Sitka troller accused of taking undersized kings

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Sitka

Type: Undersized king salmon

On 7/13/23 Alaska Wildlife Troopers cited Michael Pickett Jr., 39, of Sitka, for taking undersized commercial troll-caught king salmon. The undersized fish were discovered during an offload to a local processor.

Sitka troller cited, fish proceeds seized

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Sitka

Type: Commercial troll closed waters

On 7/9/23 Alaska Wildlife Troopers observed the F/V Karmon Dee commercial power trolling in the regulatory closed waters of Fish Bay, near Sitka. Permit holder and operator Andrew Scorzelli, 51, of Sitka, was cited. The proceeds from king and coho salmon onboard the vessel were seized.

Sitka troller cited

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Sitka

Type: Commercial troll closed period

On 6/25/23 Alaska Wildlife Troopers observed a commercial salmon power troll vessel actively fishing in the Deep Inlet Terminal Harvest Area, during a commercial salmon purse seine opening in the THA. The Deep Inlet THA is closed to commercial trolling during commercial net fishery openings. Josef Castle, 50, of Sitka, was cited with arraignment set in Sitka District Court.

Sitka troller cited

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Sitka

Type: Fail to record on fish ticket

On 1/23/23 Alaska Wildlife Troopers contacted Jeffrey Turner, 55, of Sitka, offloading commercial troll-caught salmon to a Sitka processor. After the offload concluded, troopers located unreported fish remaining onboard the vessel. Turner was cited for failing to report king salmon kept as personal use at the time of a commercial offload.

Troller nets $4,000 fine in Sitka court

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Sitka
Type: Conviction

On 6/30/22 at approximately 1753 hours, Alaska Wildlife Troopers on patrol offshore of Kruzof Island observed the F/V Tyee with commercial troll fishing gear in the water unlawfully prior to the commercial salmon opening on 7/1/22. Investigation revealed Lucas Skordahl, 38, of Sitka, was operating power troll gear prior to the open season. On 7/26/22 in Sitka District Court, Skordahl pled guilty to one misdemeanor count of commercial fishing during a closed period. He was fined $8,000 with $4,000 suspended and placed on probation for one year.

Sitka troller cited

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Sitka

Type: Commercial troll closed period

On 6/30/22 at approximately 1753 hours, Alaska Wildlife Troopers on patrol offshore of Kruzof Island observed the F/V Tyee with commercial troll fishing gear in the water unlawfully prior to the commercial salmon opening on 7/1/22. Investigation revealed Lucas Skordahl, 38, of Sitka, was operating power troll gear prior to the open season. Arraignment was set in Sitka District Court.

Pelican troller charged with multiple offenses

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Pelican
Type: Fish tickets, intent to operate
On 9/28/21 Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Sitka Post, charged James Steven Daniels, 67, of Pelican, with three counts of failure to submit intent to operate and 10 counts of failure to complete fish tickets. The charges stem from an investigation which showed Daniels operated a commercial troll vessel, the F/V Pelican, on commercial fishing trips associated with Highliner Lodge out of Pelican from 2017 to 2020 and sold fish to clients directly without a fisheries business license and without completing any fish tickets. Daniels was subsequently charged with seven additional violations in 2021 for failing to imprint information on fish tickets as required and reporting sold fish as "personal use." Arraignment set in Sitka District Court.

Four trollers cited over undersized king salmon

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Sitka
Type: Undersized king salmon
On 7/4/21 Alaska Wildlife Troopers cited Tracey Emanuel, 56, of Sitka, after investigation revealed he delivered undersized commercial troll-caught king salmon to a local processor. The undersized fish were seized.

Location: Craig
Type: Undersized king salmon
On 7/6/21 Juneau Wildlife Troopers onboard the P/V Enforcer issued Jared Jillie, 32, of Juneau, a minor offense summons for retaining five undersized king salmon during the first summer king salmon troll opening.

Location: Sitka

Type: Undersized king salmon
On 7/9/21 Alaska Wildlife Troopers cited Gary M. Hughes, 56, of Hoonah, for retaining undersized commercial troll-caught king salmon. Investigation revealed Hughes delivered the undersized salmon to a local processor.

Location: Sitka

Type: Undersized king salmon

On 7/9/21 Alaska Wildlife Troopers cited John Murray, 68, of Sitka, after investigation revealed he delivered an undersized commercial troll-caught king salmon to a local processor. The fish was seized.

Sitka man gets $15K fine, 1-year ban from trolling

Here's the press release.

Sitka direct marketer nets $13,000 fine

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Sitka
Type: Conviction
On 4/9/19 Justin Eberhard, 45, of Sitka, entered guilty pleas to charges including failure to complete fish tickets as part of an agreement through the Office of Special Prosecutions and Appeals. Eberhard was fined a total of $30,000 with $17,000 suspended and placed on probation for one year. Eberhard is required to pay unpaid fish taxes from 2017 and 2018 as a condition of probation. The charges stem from an investigation into the unreported export of commercial troll-caught salmon from the F/V Surf Bay during 2017 and 2018. Investigation revealed Eberhard had sold multiple shipments of fish out of the state of Alaska while acting as an unlicensed direct marketer. The fish caught and exported were never documented on a commercial fish ticket as required. The value of the unreported catch for 2017 and 2018 was in excess of $45,000 and represented large numbers of unreported king salmon. Investigation showed the fish were otherwise legally taken during open commercial seasons and with appropriate commercial permits.

Sitka troller charged with two violations

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Sitka
Type: Commercial fish closed season, waste of salmon
On 3/24/17 Alaska Wildlife Troopers observed the F/V Mirage commercial salmon trolling approximately 1.4 miles beyond the winter troll line near Sitka Sound. During the investigation, permit holder Jeffrey Turner, 50, of Sitka, was observed discarding a dead king salmon into the sea. One king salmon was seized and Turner was issued summonses to appear in Sitka District Court for fishing in a closed season and waste of salmon.

Three king salmon trollers cited at Sitka

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Sitka
Type: Undersized king salmon
On 7/3/16 Alaska Wildlife Troopers contacted Douglas M. Sutton, 56, of Sitka, during a commercial salmon troll offload. Investigation showed Sutton possessed four king salmon less than 28 inches in length onboard the F/V Lady Jillian. Sutton was cited for retaining undersized king salmon.

Location: Sitka
Type: Undersized king salmon
On 7/3/16 Alaska Wildlife Troopers contacted Richard C. Urias, 33, of Sitka, during a commercial salmon troll offload. Investigation showed Urias possessed two king salmon less than 28 inches in length onboard the F/V Valid. Urias was cited for retaining undersized king salmon.

Location: Sitka
Type: Undersized king salmon
On 7/3/16 Alaska Wildlife Troopers contacted Matthew J. Konoske, 51, of Sitka, during a commercial salmon troll offload. Investigation showed Konoske possessed a king salmon less than 28 inches in length onboard the F/V Infinity. Konoske was cited for retaining an undersized king salmon.

Troller charged with illegal lingcod retention

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Warren Channel
Type: Bycatch violation
Investigation revealed that Barry Mckee, 65, of Sitka, the captain of the F/V Ocean Gem, retained lingcod on 1/24/14 while participating in the winter commercial troll fishery. Lingcod can only be taken as bycatch during the commercial troll season from May 16 through Nov. 30. Mckee was issued a citation for retaining lingcod during a closed period. He must appear in Craig District Court.

Troopers cite three Sitka trollers

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Sitka
Type: Commercial fish closed waters
On 6/27/13 Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Sitka Post, contacted Albert Duncan Sr., 72, of Sitka, after he was observed hand trolling in the Western Channel troll fishery area, which was closed. Investigation revealed Duncan was indeed commercial trolling. He was issued a summons to appear in Sitka District Court.

Location: Sitka
Type: Commercial fish closed waters
On 6/27/13 Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Sitka Post, contacted Arthur Eells, 53, of Sitka, after he was observed commercial trolling in the Deep Inlet terminal harvest area, which was closed to trolling. Eells was issued a citation with a mandatory appearance in Sitka District Court.

Location: Sitka
Type: Undersized king salmon
On 6/27/13 Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Sitka Post, cited Arthur Eells, 30, of Sitka for retaining a king salmon under 28 inches in length while participating in the spring troll fishery. Eells was cited as the result of an inspection of his catch during an offload at Sitka Sound Seafoods.

Two fisheries convictions notched at Ketchikan

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Ketchikan
Type: Conviction
On 2/8/13 James Scudero Jr., 34, of Ketchikan, pled guilty to operating halibut longline gear without a valid Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission permit. He also pled guilty to attempted tampering with physical evidence. Scudero's sentence included fines totaling $2,400, jail time of 60 days suspended, and 18 months of probation.

Location: Ketchikan
Type: Conviction
On 2/13/13 Thomas George, 57, of Klawock, was found guilty of possessing commercial hand troll gear aboard his power troll vessel. George was fined $2,000 and placed on probation for 12 months.

Three accused of illegal salmon trolling at Yakutat

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Yakutat Bay
Type: Commercial fish closed waters
On 3/22/12 at approximately 1256 hours, Alaska Wildlife Troopers from Yakutat contacted Oliver Hokanson, 47, of Yakutat, aboard the F/V Falcon in Yakutat Bay. Investigation revealed that Hokanson was commercial salmon trolling in closed waters in Yakutat Bay. Hokanson was issued a summons to appear on 4/12/12 in Yakutat District Court.

Location: Yakutat Bay
Type: Commercial fish closed waters
On 3/22/12 at approximately 1309 hours, Alaska Wildlife Troopers from Yakutat contacted Loren Clark, 42, of Yakutat, aboard a salmon power troller in Yakutat Bay. Investigation revealed that Clark was commercial salmon trolling in closed waters in Yakutat Bay. Clark was issued a summons to appear on 4/12/12 in Yakutat District Court.

Location: Yakutat Bay
Type: Commercial fish closed waters
On 3/22/12 at approximately 1357 hours, Alaska Wildlife Troopers from Yakutat contacted Frank Deveraux, 63, of Yakutat, aboard the F/V Sheryl in Yakutat Bay. Investigation revealed that Deveraux was commercial salmon trolling in closed waters in Yakutat Bay. Deveraux was issued a summons to appear on 4/12/12 in Yakutat District Court.

Pelican processor cited over tardy fish tickets

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Sitka
Type: Fish tickets
On 1/28/12 Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Sitka Post, cited Deborah Spencer, 46, of Pelican, for failing to submit fish tickets for troll-caught salmon within seven days after landing. Spencer is the co-owner of Cross Sound Seafoods and unintentionally submitted multiple tickets more than three months late. Arraignment set for 2/21/12 in Sitka District Court.