No comments about the GROSS fishery violation?

[Ufatz]

Am surprised no comments about the egregious violations by the resident and non-resident group that caught more than EIGHT HUNDRED fish over their limit. Who wants to guess how LITTLE they will really end up being punished.   Remember......in MN these violations are apparently MISDEMEANORS!   Gag puke!!

[rundrave]

Who wants to guess how LITTLE they will really end up being punished.   Remember......in MN these violations are apparently MISDEMEANORS!   Gag puke!!

This even made the news here in SD:

DETROIT LAKES, MN -

Six people from Indiana are facing charges for taking hundreds of fish over the limit allowed on a Minnesota lake.

The state Department of Natural Resources says an anonymous tip led investigators to Upper Cormorant Lake in Becker County. They determined the five men and one woman had taken nearly 700 crappies and sunfish over the state-imposed limit for the lake.

DNR Conservation Officer Bill Landmark says the evidence was seized from freezers inside the group's cabins. Landmark says all of the suspects are from Bedford, Indiana.

If convicted, the six could be ordered to pay a fine, plus $5 restitution for each fish and lose their fishing license for three years.

personally I think the fine is a slap on the wrist. I would like to see vehicles/boats seized, tackle etc since they were used to commit the crime. I think they need to start imposing harsher penalties and make some examples out of these losers.

Id also suggest revoking their licenses for life but I dont think it would stop them from fishing if they cant follow the regs as they are already they probably didnt have a license to begin with.

[IronDioPriest]

The whole party of 12 (actually 6, since it was 6 adults and 6 kids) will be fined a measly $5 per fish. Roughly $3500. That's not even $600 per guy. That's a slap on the wrist for such an egregious violation.

You come here from out of state and poach our resource - the management of which our tax dollars pay - and all you get is a $500+ fine and sent on your way???

And think of the lesson those 6 men were teaching those 6 kids. And this wasn't the first time they'd been here.

Their gear and vehicles should have been impounded, not to be returned until they appeared in court, and a fine should have been imposed that would send a massage to all poachers.

$5 a fish isn't a penalty that is going to deter someone bent on poaching.

[papadarv]

I see the DNR attitude has not changed much in 30 years of fish management. Comfort Lake was a great Crappie lake. In the mid to late 80's a group of Hmong's were filling 5 gallon buckets with 3 to 5 inch crappie on Hwy. 8 between little and big comfort on a daily basis. I lived on the lake so I reported this to the Game Warden. I waited on Heath Dr. as the Hwy from Heath to the culvert was posted no parking. I followed the Wardens vehicle and parked behind him. When I asked him about the three 5 gallon buckets nearly full with crappie he replied I am doing nothing, you need to have some compassion for these people they been through a lot. As a nam vet, it did tick me off a bit. I told him my compassion is for the families of the 59 thousand soldiers who died and another 150 thousand wounded giving these people a better life in Vietnam. I suggestion a ticket would be appropriate as you would do for me if I had fish over the limit. His reply, your car is parked illegally on shoulder of Hwy 8, If I don't move it now you will be sited. Eventually they no longer fished there when they ran out of fish. Comfort Crappie has somewhat recovered in recent years.

Just an FYI, walleye sells for about $16 per pound and crappie $19 per pound in grocery stores. A $5 fine per fish is way below a slap on the wrist.

[delcecchi]

If they bought licenses for the kids, they are entitled to 12 limits.  At 30 fish per limit, they legally could possess 360 fish.  So they had 2 limits in possession.    I bet there are a lot of Minnesota residents that have a limit, or more,  in the freezer and are still fishing.   

But of course there is no way for the DNR to come and search joe blow of detroit lakes' freezer.  

[derbier122x]

I think what he was getting at is 12 people multiplied by 30 fish per person is the 360 fish he is talking about. Being they were all from out of state, don't nonresident children also need a license? Not sure as I've never had a non resident child fishing with me. Before you fly off the handle, please try to read what you quoted a little closer.

[papadarv]

Oops, I did miss read @delcecchi post. My apologies' delcecchi  I really do not intentionally fly off the handle.

Any child 15 years or younger resident or Non-resident is not required to have a MN fishing license.

Also deleted my reply as it was inappropriate.

Again my apologies'

[Esox62]

Not sure if I want to use the word surprised, but I'm a little surprised the fine is so little. I've seen much, much larger fines for violations not even close to this bad. 100's over the limit! Would think that's a different level than a misdemeanor.

[eyeguy 54]

where is the upROAR from all the crazies on this??? is it because crappies are not as majestic as Cecil??? LOL

[delcecchi]

As I understand it, if the non resident child has a license, they get their own limit of fish.  If they don't have a license they share a limit with an adult who does.