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Member
Posts: 80
Location: Greenville Wi | Found this on a bay du noc site
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 3, 2009
Contact: Mary Dettloff 517-335-3014
Department of Natural Resources Conservation Officers Seek Charges for Illegal Commercial Fishing Operation
Department of Natural Resources conservation officers are seeking multiple charges against six Delta County men in connection with an illegal commercial fishing operation on Little Bay De Noc. Charges will
be sought in both state and tribal court systems.
During a records review, a DNR conservation officer noted an abnormally high number of walleye were being sold in the wholesale commercial market during the winter months over the past several years. Conservation officers from the DNR’s Commercial Fish Enforcement and Special Investigative Units, as well as conservation officers stationed in Delta County, developed further information while operating surveillance on Little Bay De Noc and surrounding areas.
“A pattern was established by officers,” said Gary Hagler, chief of the DNR Law Enforcement Division. “Once that pattern was established, our officers were able to determine that thousands of pounds of walleyes
may have been taken from area waters and illegally sold into the commercial fish market through a licensed commercial fisherman.”
Hagler said that officers believe more than 20,000 pounds of walleye may have been taken from area waters through the illegal operation just in the last two months.
Last week, DNR conservation officers seized 256 pounds of walleye that were harvested from nets in Little Bay De Noc the previous day. Officers returned to the bay with Sault Tribal police officers and seized 1,200
feet of illegally set gill net.
“This is a complex case that took some time to develop,” Hagler noted. “Also, the public provided critical information by alerting us to illegally set nets on Little Bay De Noc. This type of public involvement is crucial to protecting our natural resources.”
Any natural resources-related violations can be reported anonymously to the DNR through the Report All Poaching (RAP) Line at 800-292-7800. Monetary awards are sometimes given for information that leads to an arrest.
The DNR is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state's natural resources for current and future generations.
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Member
Posts: 885
| During a records review, a DNR conservation officer noted an abnormally high number of walleye were being sold in the wholesale commercial market during the winter months over the past several years. I suspected this for the last 2 years on Big Bay. I caught a couple of Walleyes that had escaped the gill nets. The fins were torn apart and the fish were crisscrossed with net marks across the entire body. The boats working the nets would hid their catch when we got close enough to get a look. My trips to Big Bay were not very productive this last fall and I remember just how many nets were set around Ogonz Bay. They had the bay completely enclosed in gill nets. Glad to see that they caught these guys... just wonder why in the heck it took so long and why were they not monitoring the bay closer. I would like to know exactly who nets both bays and what are they allowed to take? Dominic
Edited by Purple Skeeter 3/3/2009 10:16 PM
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Member
Posts: 73
Location: Green Bay, WI | The scary thing is that there is still legal nets out there taking tons. Three years ago the CO showed me pictures of carcass piles that were as big as my truck. He described it as a factory. I asked how many they were taking and his reply was tons. This factory was sitting in the east side of the narrows and the net stakes stretched north to the big sand point. That net stake was an I-beam just short of the surface that fall. How many new net stakes are there between Terrace and the shell station? Heck, one day I had them dropping a net around me as I was lindy rigging by the terrace. The following year I caught zero walleyes from the terrace to the corner. Guys this has been going on for quite some time. It is nice to get these guys out of there. But, there rest still remain. And, do you really thing the tribe is going to do anything?
Sorry, but I couldn't keep it to myself anymore.
Doug |
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| Doug,Please describe the lake or body of water you are talking about? I have no idea where this is.
TIMM |
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| Doug is talking about LBN, south of Gladstone. |
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Member
Posts: 73
Location: Green Bay, WI | Little Bay de Noc. The factory shanty was set up in the narrows by Hunters Point and The west side between Gladstone and the Terrace. This has been going on ( the legal netting ) for a longtime.
Doug |
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| Fishing has gone downhill on LBDN. Perhaps this was a contributing factor?
Why didn't they catch them sooner? I wonder if state budget cuts are partly to blame. Everyone wants to "the government" to cut, cut, cut. This could be one of the "rewards".
"We Have Met The Enemy and He Is Us" Walt Kelly |
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