Saturday, March 3, 2012

Juneau drifter nets $5,000 fine, forfeits catch

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Juneau
Type: Update — commercial fish closed period
On 2/28/12 Christopher J. Place, 40, of Juneau, pled guilty in Juneau District Court to one count of commercial fishing during a closed period. He was fined a total of $10,000 with $5,000 suspended and placed on probation for three years. Place also was ordered to forfeit $8,606.90 worth of illegally taken fish and had six demerit points assessed against his commercial salmon permit. Three additional charges of commercial fishing during a closed period were dismissed by the Juneau District Attorney's Office as part of the plea agreement. The charges stemmed from two dates in summer 2011 on which Place was observed and videotaped on four separate "drifts" operating commercial fishing gear in closed waters. The first violation was in District 11A north of Juneau and the last three occurred in District 11B south of Juneau. Place was one of three fishermen observed operating salmon gillnet gear in closed waters on multiple occasions after Juneau Wildlife Troopers received complaints from other fishermen in the area. One of the three men, Ryan Gullufsen of Juneau, earlier pled guilty to two misdemeanor counts and was fined $24,000 with $20,000 suspended and placed on probation for two years. He also was ordered to forfeit $3,800 worth of illegally taken salmon. Gullufsen was assessed a total of 12 demerit points after his conviction and as a result the Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission suspended him, his permit and his boat from participating in any Southeast commercial drift gillnet fisheries for one year. The remaining defendant, Aaron Place, has been charged with two misdemeanor counts and has a court appearance on 3/8/12.

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