7 caught in abalone poaching ring

[Thomas Magnum]

Hopefully they throw the book at these f-ers.


http://www1.pressdemocrat.com/article/20070907/NEWS/709070408/1033/NEWS01

[NateSmith]

Agreed. Oh how I would LOVE to be the judge in that case. Those guys would SOOOOOOOOO get it.

[Fis_Hunter]

Love to see AHoles get caught.

[joshrau]

This makes me happy. Glad they caught them. I'm surprised they were selling to individuals. They must have had a serious network of friends who were interested or something. I can't beleive they got away with it for this long, it seems like I get checked for my punch card every few times I go.

[Ron S]

They need to hit these guys real, real hard and make an example out of them. It'd really send a message if 30 or 40 honest abalone divers showed up to speak during the sentencing phase to request maximum penalties for these punks.
Ron.

[bbprodive]

I hope they get the maximum sentence, I will contact the local F&G office to see about speaking at the sentencing.

[joshrau]

Good idea. Post here when you find out.

[Clayton713]

So if you give your girlfriend lobster that you caught in exchange for naughty favors is that considered "illegal commercialization of wildlife" or would that "illegal solicitation of crustaceans"?

[joshrau]

So if you give your girlfriend lobster that you caught in exchange for naughty favors is that considered "illegal commercialization of wildlife" or would that "illegal solicitation of crustaceans"?

I think technically trading recreational catch away is illegal. So like if you trade an abalone for a couple pounds of salmon, thats technically illegal, but I doubt thats something they'd care about if you did it rarely for personal use, plus how would they catch you if it was just between you and a friend?

As far as the second, if your gf is a crustacean, I think then yes, she could be charged with solicitation of a crustacean :P

[zenspearo]

So if you give your girlfriend lobster that you caught in exchange for naughty favors is that considered "illegal commercialization of wildlife" or would that "illegal solicitation of crustaceans"?

don't forget the illegal solicitation of land abalone ;)

[BradG]

From the article:

"Three of those booked into the San Jose Main Jail had prior arrests for illegally harvesting abalone, Fish and Game Department spokesman Harry Morse said."

Apparently, whatever punishment was doled out the first time was not enough of a deterrent to prevent further harvesting.

Assuming a ~$10,000 fine, if they are selling the abs for $100, grabbing more than 3 a day, and can manage to sell several day's worth before getting busted, the break-even point is reached fairly quick.

[C monster]

From the article:

Arrested were: Chien Van Tran, 47, of San Jose; Bot Van Ho, 50, of San Jose; To Tran, 56, of San Jose; Oanh Thi Tran, 47, of San Jose; Cuu Thi Nguyen, 51, of San Jose; Su-Jan Lin Chuang, 49, of Cupertino; and Andy Van Le, 54, of San Jose.

[Polystigma]

Are most of these schmoes even legal?

[joshrau]

Hmm. The article says the fine is 15000-40000 dollars. When I first read that I assumed it meant per abalone. But then I reread it and it doesn't say per abalone, which means its probably not. That does seem a little low if they just get fined 15,000 for something to this extent. I say it should be jail time. They obviously knew what they were doing, otherwise they wouldnt have been sneaky about it. If they were dumping toxins into the ocean that would be jail time, and they're both harming the environment willingly and knowingly.

[C monster]

There's shit like this going on everywhere. These idiots just got caught...
Go to any seafood market or restaurant on Brookhurst, North of the 405. Look hard enough, or go
in with someone Vietnamese, and you'll find Abalone, lobster, live sheephead, calico,
halibut, and WSB of ALL sizes, year round.

Turns my stomach.

SC

[DarenDeath]

Stiffer punishment, deportation if they are not citizins. It will always continue, this is why we need better enforcement and better education.

[LabMan]

THESE are the real bad guys. Greed driven. They deserve bigger fines and jail time.

Brian Ishida

[Kristof]

if you see it around all the time call dfg and turn those a$$h01es in too

[zenspearo]

THESE are the real bad guys. Greed driven. They deserve bigger fines and jail time.

Brian Ishida


Yes. These are bad dudes. Real bad.

Contrary to what some may suggest, it's a way to get killed if you start walking into these places and ask about buying abalone, fish, etc. Especially if you don't speak the language. I wouldn't recommend it if you value your life.

It is known (I happen to be in the legal field and worked in the San Francisco District Attorney Office for a while) that quite a few Vietnamese Americans work undercover with CA-DFG (think about how they cracked this case with undercover posing as buyers)

It's extremely hush hush, for good reasons. Let's say that it's safer to be a Delta force operator in Afghanistan than their line of work.

[kelpmonkey]

It's extremely hush hush, for good reasons. Let's say that it's safer to be a Delta force operator in Afghanistan than their line of work.

Abalone cocktail. Shaken, not stirred.:cool:

[joshrau]

Stiffer punishment, deportation if they are not citizins. It will always continue, this is why we need better enforcement and better education.

I'm not sure what better education would have done in this case. They had fishing licenses and punch card that they were filling out improperly to try to get away with getting extras, so they knew the rules. Enforcement yeah, but the problem is money on that I'm sure. Hopefully anybody who sees somebody poaching is calling caltip. DFG can't be everywhere at once, they need us to be their eyes to keep people from abusing our resources and ruining it for the rest of us.

If these people had licenses, which the article says they had punch cards, so they must have, then they were citizens right? I don't think you can buy a license unless you're a citizen.

[fishkabobz]

Yes. These are bad dudes. Real bad.

Contrary to what some may suggest, it's a way to get killed if you start walking into these places and ask about buying abalone, fish, etc. Especially if you don't speak the language. I wouldn't recommend it if you value your life.

It is known (I happen to be in the legal field and worked in the San Francisco District Attorney Office for a while) that quite a few Vietnamese Americans work undercover with CA-DFG (think about how they cracked this case with undercover posing as buyers)

It's extremely hush hush, for good reasons. Let's say that it's safer to be a Delta force operator in Afghanistan than their line of work.

Joe, what unit were you in? You know a guy from the DA's Office named Bruce Austin?

[Matty51]

This is why our restrictions are becoming more and more. I just wish everyone could just enjoy the Ocean for what it is and not exploit it like so many do.

[zenspearo]

Joe, what unit were you in? You know a guy from the DA's Office named Bruce Austin?


PM you.

[Noyo Jim]

Can you imagine what will happen when these folks have a LEGAL market in wild abalone to play with? That's what we're worried about with the California Fish & Game Commission's proposal to re-open a commercial harvest of abalone in Southern California.

If you haven't heard about this, take a minute to visit this link, learn more and sign on to a petition raising a big red flag over the commercialization of abalone. We tried this experiment - it didn't work.

Click here:
http://actionstudio.org/?go=2511

[Chinny33]

Its the vietnamese again!!!! the last guy to get arrested was the one who stabbed the sea lion with a steak knife and killed it.

Its CHARLIE!!! They're coming for us!

[C monster]

Its the vietnamese again!!!!
You said it, not me.

[joshrau]

You said it, not me.

Two weeks ago it was a DFG agent who said it to me. I was surprised she went there. I was on my way in and she was checking all the abalone of the people coming back to their cars at the turnout I was parking at, and she said she was looking for "koreans who come here to shore pick and take undersized abalone." I found it a little odd that she would volunteer that info to me while working.

[turtle714]

Its the vietnamese again!!!! the last guy to get arrested was the one who stabbed the sea lion with a steak knife and killed it.

Its CHARLIE!!! They're coming for us!

hahaha.....i remember back in high school, my vietnamese friends used to take me down to the dana point jetty to fish late at night with their familes....turns out they weren't really fishing, they were just using big hooks with a slab of fish and snagging lobsters....majority of them didn't even have fishing licenses....i got a little older and wiser and realized that shit was really damn illegal.....wonder if people still do that

[Polystigma]

hahaha.....i remember back in high school, my vietnamese friends used to take me down to the dana point jetty to fish late at night with their familes....turns out they weren't really fishing, they were just using big hooks with a slab of fish and snagging lobsters....majority of them didn't even have fishing licenses....i got a little older and wiser and realized that shit was really damn illegal.....wonder if people still do that


I have had about 4 or 5 stupid people come into my workplace recently.
They come in and ask me. "Do you have long lines with big treble hooks on them"? I ask "what do you intend to use it for"? They all responded "to catch lobsters"


I told them do you realize it is illegal to catch lobsters in that way. 3 out of the 4 or 5 were aware and admitted it to me. I further told them that the ticket is about $700-800 per bug. One guy persisted that I showed him some large treble hooks so he could tie his own snares, After I told him we carry no such thing.
I explained to him that there is no way in hell that I am going to sell anything to him at this point. And to please take his business elsewhere. Might have looked pissed when I said this because he disappeared like vapor.
For what it is worth and no disrespect... all of the guys who came in and asked me for this snare rig were Asian.:confused:

Furthermore, two of these guys are catching lobsters right now! Out of season and they know it.:mad:

[zenspearo]

I have had about 4 or 5 stupid people come into my workplace recently.
They come in and ask me. "Do you have long lines with big treble hooks on them"? I ask "what do you intend to use it for"? They all responded "to catch lobsters"


I told them do you realize it is illegal to catch lobsters in that way. 3 out of the 4 or 5 were aware and admitted it to me. I further told them that the ticket is about $700-800 per bug. One guy persisted that I showed him some large treble hooks so he could tie his own snares, After I told him we carry no such thing.
I explained to him that there is no way in hell that I am going to sell anything to him at this point. And to please take his business elsewhere. Might have looked pissed when I said this because he disappeared like vapor.
For what it is worth and no disrespect... all of the guys who came in and asked me for this snare rig were Asian.:confused:

Furthermore, two of these guys are catching lobsters right now! Out of season and they know it.:mad:

Good for you! (Enjoy it poly--i don't think that about many of your posts)

Crap like this makes not only law abiding asian-american divers look bad, it makes all divers look bad and puts our sport at risk since it gives ammo to the closure folks to argue for more closure.

I am of Vietnamese descent and obviously the sweeping comments from my fellow SB spearos about Vietnamese or Asians don't exactly make my day and I was tempted to say something about stereotyping but hell, wtf..save that for work.

This is a salty crowd that have fun by jumping in shark-infested water and risking SWB to splatter a few fish so I can understand the passion since I too can really give two shits about these dudes or any dude who poaches and puts my spearing/diving at risk. Put them all away.

[mnguy]

Alot of Viets that I know that have those big treble hooks use them in long lines of about 6 or 8 tied inline and a weight on the far end with a piece of green ribbon tied to it. They use this to snag big mullet around the surfline, especially around newport and balboa piers.

No better place to find endangered animal parts than a Chinese herbalist. Need a tiger penis? Ask the chinese herbalist. Rhino horn? Ditto. And whatever happened to the yangtze river dolphins. Oh yeah, you guys filled that river with so many toxins that they went extinct. Also, one of the guys who got busted in that ab poaching ring was Chinese too, and in fact a better portion of the people busted for poaching/selling abs are Chinese. So, you Chinese who are pointing fingers, before you start throwing stones you might want to check that glass house you're living in. Chinny, Turtle, I'm looking at you.

C-Monster. You can find those sheephead, lobster, etc. at the 99 ranch in Irvine(heavily Chinese area) too. They are caught by the commercials who live trap them, especially the sheephead and calicos. I'll bet you diamonds to dollars that said commercials are probably not Asian to begin with, and probably look more like you than they do me. Sure, the Asians are the ones buying them, but who does the trapping and selling to said Asians? On a side note I've seen some way small bugs end up in those tanks, definately not legal sized.

Poly, why don't you go report them to the DFG then? Next time sell them the stuff and ask them where they are going out and when they plan to do it and tell the DFG after they leave. I think that it would be better to make sure that they get caught instead of telling them to F off and have them get the gear elsewhere and still poach.

For the record, here's a quick rundown of http://sonic.net/~rocky/poachidx.htm which is an ab poaching article index:
Non-Viet Ab poaching:
http://sonic.net/~rocky/p070606a.htm (English names)
http://www.dfg.ca.gov/news/news04/04099.html (chinese)
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2004/05/22/BAGH06QC8I1.DTL (english names)
http://sonic.net/~rocky/p110602a.htm (english name)
http://sonic.net/~rocky/p091102a.htm (koreans)
http://www.dfg.ca.gov/news/news02/02107.html (viet and an english name. Ehhhbony and Iiiivoryy:whistle:)
http://sonic.net/~rocky/p062102a.htm (Joel Roberts, of the state Ab board)

The list goes on but most of the cases listed are non-viets. They've also compiled a list of the people busted for Abs in CA ending 1-07-2004.http://sonic.net/~rocky/poachwho.htm

All of the meth lab busts that I've seen on TV catch white people cooking up meth. Should I then infer that all white people are cooking meth in some boarded up room? No, I don't because that's just ignorant to assume that because some group generally gets caught doing something that it is true of all of them. I'm Viet and I don't poach. I don't snag lobsters, poach abalone, stab sea lions, etc. and am not the boogieman that you are trying to make us into to help you ignore the things that your own people do.

edit: Joe said it better but all the stereotyping shit still gets to me.

[Chinny33]

Chinny, Turtle, I'm looking at you.
...
edit: Joe said it better but all the stereotyping shit still gets to me.



Oh BOO HOO! Rabble rabble rabble. cry me a river.

If the guys were chinese and everyone started to "rabble rabble" about chinese, I wouldnt give a hoot. You know why? Because Im secure with knowing I'm not them or like them. Also, darn glad I'm 1/2 white too. muahahaha.

Clearly, I'm not being racist or sterotyping. Im telling the truth that those guys that got caught WERE VIETNAMESE. I didnt make it up. With that being said, I do know asians are known to be poachers...ALL OF THEM. Many times I go fishing, Im the only one to get checked for a license and other white people and black people are not. I dont get mad because I know alot of people they catch, could possibly be mostly asian.

Yes, the chinese sell some wierd crap for verility, because they think they dont have enough people yet to take over the world.

You are weak minded for being offended. :thumps:

[turtle714]

ah this thread turned into a racial debate...awesome! sorry mike, i wasn't trying to stereotype, it just turns out that the people in my example were vietnamese...i grew up near westminster, the majority of my friends are vietnamese...shoot im japanese, we're notorious for our overharvesting of the ocean and making gross pornographic movies..and we have crooked teeth and we're small in the pants, yada yada yada...

if it makes you feel any better...i knew a white guy who's brother speared lobsters out of season every so often....and he was a lifeguard so he knew it was illegal....oh and i used to know a jap guy that hoopnetted more than his legal limit of lobsters from time to time....and i knew a black guy who stole something from k-mart.

[Fis_Hunter]

Most of the white guys I have confronted do one of two things say sorry I did not know (Right), or tell you to mind your own f-buisness, most of the asian guys I have confronted smile knod and stick the stuff in a small plastic bag and put it in their pocket and pretend the did not understand what you just said, even when you have been talking to them fine for an hour. This does not happen with all asians as it does not happen with all whites.

[rojodiablo]

All I know is, I am Polish, Hawaiian,Portugese and Irish. SO I am guilty, by association, of:Netting all reef fish. Being stupid to a fault, including but not limited to: the ejection seat on a helicopter, flying a spaceship to the moon at night, so as not to burn up, and facing down the Blitzkreig on horseback with muskets. My people have also been vey guilty of helping to remove most of the fish from the Meditteranian sea.And, finally, the Irish in me makes sure that even though I quit drinking, I am a drunken Irishmen at heart. So, let me have it- I am certain I deserve it!!!:lol:

[Q]

Makes me wish my Dad killed more in Nam.

It's comments like this that makes me wish My Gramps killed more of your kind in the Civil War..

[turtle714]

All I know is, I am Polish, Hawaiian,Portugese and Irish. SO I am guilty, by association, of:Netting all reef fish. Being stupid to a fault, including but not limited to: the ejection seat on a helicopter, flying a spaceship to the moon at night, so as not to burn up, and facing down the Blitzkreig on horseback with muskets. My people have also been vey guilty of helping to remove most of the fish from the Meditteranian sea.And, finally, the Irish in me makes sure that even though I quit drinking, I am a drunken Irishmen at heart. So, let me have it- I am certain I deserve it!!!:lol:

dont forget the screen door on submarines

[Fis_Hunter]

turtle714 "don't forget the screen door on submarines"

:lol::lol::lol:

No we did that it sunk on the seawall at Mareisland in Vallejo ca durring ballest testing.

[Chris Oak]

That's partially true. A lot of fish markets will have the same kinds of things. The abalone there is farm raised, I've been to the farms and saw them for myself. The lobster I usually see are maine lobster, and I'm not sure of what the regs are on calico or sheephead. However one time they were selling whole fish at the 22nd street fish market and a concerned guy bought one and brought it down to us to key out because he thought it might be a white seabass, I thought that was cool of him. Turned out to be a shortfin corvina. I'm not making excuses, because I know the asian markets do some shady things. My point is this, if you ever see something that you KNOW isnt right, call up the caltip line or department of fish and game. Do something, don't just point fingers and talk about it.

I hope that these repeat offenders get the maximum sentence possible. I also hope that you guys keep racism out of the threads, joking is one thing, but some of the shit I saw in these threads is waaaay out of line. By the way I'm not vietnamese but if people started harping about the races of any of my friends I'd tell you the same thing.

There's shit like this going on everywhere. These idiots just got caught...
Go to any seafood market or restaurant on Brookhurst, North of the 405. Look hard enough, or go
in with someone Vietnamese, and you'll find Abalone, lobster, live sheephead, calico,
halibut, and WSB of ALL sizes, year round.

Turns my stomach.

SC

[DanielG]

I hope that these repeat offenders get the maximum sentence possible. I also hope that you guys keep racism out of the threads, joking is one thing, but some of the shit I saw in these threads is waaaay out of line. By the way I'm not vietnamese but if people started harping about the races of any of my friends I'd tell you the same thing.

Very well put.

[joshrau]

That's partially true. A lot of fish markets will have the same kinds of things. The abalone there is farm raised, I've been to the farms and saw them for myself. The lobster I usually see are maine lobster, and I'm not sure of what the regs are on calico or sheephead. However one time they were selling whole fish at the 22nd street fish market and a concerned guy bought one and brought it down to us to key out because he thought it might be a white seabass, I thought that was cool of him. Turned out to be a shortfin corvina. I'm not making excuses, because I know the asian markets do some shady things. My point is this, if you ever see something that you KNOW isnt right, call up the caltip line or department of fish and game. Do something, don't just point fingers and talk about it.

I hope that these repeat offenders get the maximum sentence possible. I also hope that you guys keep racism out of the threads, joking is one thing, but some of the shit I saw in these threads is waaaay out of line. By the way I'm not vietnamese but if people started harping about the races of any of my friends I'd tell you the same thing.

:thumps:

[mnguy]

That's partially true. A lot of fish markets will have the same kinds of things. The abalone there is farm raised, I've been to the farms and saw them for myself. The lobster I usually see are maine lobster, and I'm not sure of what the regs are on calico or sheephead. However one time they were selling whole fish at the 22nd street fish market and a concerned guy bought one and brought it down to us to key out because he thought it might be a white seabass, I thought that was cool of him. Turned out to be a shortfin corvina. I'm not making excuses, because I know the asian markets do some shady things. My point is this, if you ever see something that you KNOW isnt right, call up the caltip line or department of fish and game. Do something, don't just point fingers and talk about it.

I hope that these repeat offenders get the maximum sentence possible. I also hope that you guys keep racism out of the threads, joking is one thing, but some of the shit I saw in these threads is waaaay out of line. By the way I'm not vietnamese but if people started harping about the races of any of my friends I'd tell you the same thing.
:yup:
You'll see the california spiny lobsters in some of the live tanks during season. You can also see the opal eyed crapper snapper, marketed as ocean tilapia, and other delights in the live tanks at various times. Hell I saw a zebra perch mixed in with some crapper snapper in the tank once, figured they decided to play russian roullette with dinner.

I've seen whole snook from about 15-24" on ice in one of those before. Probably shipped from Mexico like I'm sure that shortfin corvina was.

[tommy7]

There's shit like this going on everywhere. These idiots just got caught...
Go to any seafood market or restaurant on Brookhurst, North of the 405. Look hard enough, or go
in with someone Vietnamese, and you'll find Abalone, lobster, live sheephead, calico,
halibut, and WSB of ALL sizes, year round.

Turns my stomach.

SC

be careful....remember that there are good and bad in ALL races.....I just got back from Cortez Banks where we talked to a couple of WHITE guys who "joked" about poaching lobster and catching BSB, we didn't think it was a joke or funny:mad:...

[tommy7]

Makes me wish my Dad killed more in Nam.

You!...Don't deserve to be here!!!

GET OUT!!!

[jross]

Makes me wish my Dad killed more in Nam.

Lame!!!!!

[Bill McIntyre]

Lame!!!!!

I think the proper term is "****ing lame."

[Otis Driftwood]

Makes me wish my Dad killed more in Nam.

As I read this thread it reminded me of a funny story my friend told me at lunch the other day.

His cousin was a fisherman in his home country. When his cousin first arrived in the states he had no knowledge of the DFG or any of their regs. long story short-He went down to the coast and came back with "a pickup bed full of abs". I think this was in the early eighties. The fine then totaled $2500. A gross abuse of our resouces I'll admit, but he would not have done it had he known. .

I'm sure their are a few bad apples out there but this is an issue of education for the most part.

Uhmm... and.... Down with commercial Ab harvest.

[Otis Driftwood]

They need to hit these guys real, real hard and make an example out of them. It'd really send a message if 30 or 40 honest abalone divers showed up to speak during the sentencing phase to request maximum penalties for these punks.
Ron.

"The case was handed over to the Sonoma County District Attorney's Office on Thursday."

I think the apropriate contact to speak at sentencing would be the District attourneys office.
District Attorney Stephan R. Passalacqua

districtattorney@sonoma-county.org

Environmental/Consumer Law Division:
2300 County Center Drive, Suite 170B
Santa Rosa, California 95403
Telephone: (707) 565-3161
FAX: (707) 565-3499

565-2311

[Travis Jones]

This really sucks for all non-poaching Asians as they will continue to be hassled and prejudiced when hunting abalone. (B Ishida?) The racism I've seen in this thread also really suprises me. You'd think that this bunch of guys, as testosterone driven as we are, would be worldly enough to know better. Crime trends happen based primarily on supply and demand. The asians have demand closeby and it's alot easier, obviously, for them to move their product. Don't let all the "white" meth cooks find out how much they can make off of collecting abalone or we'll have more tweakers at Ft. Ross than you can shake a glass pipe at.

[lobzila]

be careful....remember that there are good and bad in ALL races.....I just got back from Cortez Banks where we talked to a couple of WHITE guys who "joked" about poaching lobster and catching BSB, we didn't think it was a joke or funny:mad:...



Which trip where you on?, you might be talking about me!

[tommy7]

Which trip where you on?, you might be talking about me!

it wasn't you, unless you were out there two days on a 23' fishing boat.:rolleyes:

[lobzila]

it wasn't you, unless you were out there two days on a 23' fishing boat.:rolleyes:


No that wasn't me.

[C monster]

This really sucks for all non-poaching Asians as they will continue to be hassled and prejudiced when hunting abalone. (B Ishida?) The racism I've seen in this thread also really suprises me.
Gringo,

Let me, without ulterior motives or any malice whatsoever, ask a simple question. Not a rhetorical question, mind you, a question I would sincerely appreciate an answer to;

How could the racism in this thread really surprise you, when firstly, all the guys busted in this instance, were Asian, and secondly, the vast majority (notice, I said not all) of people that are caught doing things of this nature, are of Asian descent? I'm not knocking them as a culture at all, I'm merely stating a fact that I've been told by several DFG officers.

SC

[joshrau]

Gringo,

Let me, without ulterior motives or any malice whatsoever, ask a simple question. Not a rhetorical question, mind you, a question I would sincerely appreciate an answer to;

How could the racism in this thread really surprise you, when firstly, all the guys busted in this instance, were Asian, and secondly, the vast majority (notice, I said not all) of people that are caught doing things of this nature, are of Asian descent? I'm not knocking them as a culture at all, I'm merely stating a fact that I've been told by several DFG officers.

SC

I think what you're referring to is profiling. While that might be offensive, I think he was probably actually more offended by the racism, such as references to the vietnam war, which theres no question are offensive.

[Nate Baker]

Holy abalone! I didn't read this thread for a couple of days. I see once again Stinkeyfish is continuing to find new ways show himself as a low life.

Thread closed.