12-10-2013, 12:10 PM
Wildlife officers from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) recently cited four fishing poachers for illegally catching more than 200 fish in a private community lake in Riverside County.
CDFW officers received an anonymous tip that four men were using gill nets to take fish from a remote area of Canyon Lake. Gill and throw nets are illegal to possess within 100 yards of any inland body of water in the state.
The wardens contacted the fishermen as they were leaving the water with the nets and seized one gill net, one throw net and 238 fish, including 29 carp, 126 sunfish and 83 bass, of which 74 were undersized.
"Anglers often complain about the low number of fish in area lakes and illegal activities like this are often a leading culprit," said Warden Dustin Holyoak. "If it had not been for the actions of a citizen, this activity could have gone on indefinitely until the population of fish in that area was depleted."
The four men were cited and released on June 23. Charges of fishing without a license, possession of illegal fishing gear, over limit of sunfish, over limit of bass and possession of short fish are pending with the Riverside County District Attorney.
All the seized fish were dead and could not be returned to the water.
Media Contacts:
Andrew Hughan, CDFW Communications, (916) 322-8944
CDFW officers received an anonymous tip that four men were using gill nets to take fish from a remote area of Canyon Lake. Gill and throw nets are illegal to possess within 100 yards of any inland body of water in the state.
The wardens contacted the fishermen as they were leaving the water with the nets and seized one gill net, one throw net and 238 fish, including 29 carp, 126 sunfish and 83 bass, of which 74 were undersized.
"Anglers often complain about the low number of fish in area lakes and illegal activities like this are often a leading culprit," said Warden Dustin Holyoak. "If it had not been for the actions of a citizen, this activity could have gone on indefinitely until the population of fish in that area was depleted."
The four men were cited and released on June 23. Charges of fishing without a license, possession of illegal fishing gear, over limit of sunfish, over limit of bass and possession of short fish are pending with the Riverside County District Attorney.
All the seized fish were dead and could not be returned to the water.
Media Contacts:
Andrew Hughan, CDFW Communications, (916) 322-8944