June 2, 2009
Contact: Patrick Foy, Department of Fish and Game, (916) 651-2084
Ed Hazel, Monterey County District Attorney’s Office,
(831) 755-5070
Poachers Threaten Monterey’s Endangered Black Abalone
California game wardens recently made two new arrests in a series of
black abalone poaching cases in Monterey County. Jerry Jones, 37, of
Monterey, and Terry Callahan, 47, of Seaside were arrested by the
Department of Fish and Game (DFG) on May 13 after being found in
possession of 51 black abalone from Point Lobos State Park. Poaching
charges against the two men are pending.
Commercial fishing for black abalone was banned in 1993. According to
Fish and Game Code Section 5521.5(b), possession of 12 or more abalone
is suitable evidence that the individual in possession intends to use
the abalone for commercial purposes. Additionally, on February 13 of
this year, black abalone were formally granted endangered status by the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Fisheries
Service.
Despite the federally endangered status of the abalone, said Lt. Don
Kelly of DFG’s Law Enforcement Division, wardens are seeing poaching
operations on a much greater scale than in the past. “Poachers are
taking in excess of 90 or 100 abalone at times,” Kelly said.
“Amazingly, many of these poachers have previous convictions. These
criminals are knowingly breaking the law.”
Monterey County abalone have long been declining in number due to a
bacterial condition called wasting disease, as well as a historical
precedent of overfishing in the area. But today, poaching is the
greatest threat to the black abalone population. The animals typically
sell for $50 to $100 each on the black market.
In addition to the abalone taken and killed for sale, others are
mortally injured by knives and screwdrivers in failed attempts to pry
them off the rocks. Whenever possible, wardens return confiscated
abalone to the waters where they were taken, but often, the injuries
prove to be fatal.
In addition to the illegal operation discovered on May 13, other
notably large cases include:
● November 2008: Hoa Van Pham, 45, of Moss Landing, and Ty Van
Lieu, 54, of Marina were found in possession of 66 black abalone that
had been taken from a cove in southern Monterey County. Lieu had
previously been found guilty of poaching abalone for commercial purposes
in 2002 and 2005, and was arrested for another abalone violation in
1996. Pham had three prior poaching convictions, two in 2000 and one in
1998, specifically related to taking of marine life from a marine
protected area. Both subjects pled guilty to the charges. Pham was
sentenced to 30 days in jail, three years probation and a $25,000 fine,
while Lieu was sentenced to 90 days in jail, three years probation, a
$25,000 fine and a lifetime commercial fishing license revocation.
● February 18, 2008: Haeng Ju Shin, 42, of Cupertino, was found by
a California State Park Ranger to be in possession of 18 abalone, 69
mussels, four limpets, three turban snails, one sea urchin and one kelp
snail. She was arrested on charges of unlawfully taking abalone and
marine invertebrates from a marine conservation area. Shin admitted
using a knife to take the marine animals. She was fined $15,000, $7,500
of which was suspended.
● January 2008: Tony V. Le, 20, of Castroville and Jonathan
Conner, 22, of Salinas, pled guilty to charges of possessing 119 black
abalone and three red abalone. During the investigation Conner told
authorities he could make $3,000 in two months by poaching. Le was
sentenced to five days in jail and three years probation and was fined
$15,000. Conner was placed on probation for four years, fined $15,000
and ordered to stay away from Soberantes Point where the crime was
committed.
● May 2007: San Mateo residents Robert Ji, 29, Jennifer Ji, 19,
Jong Duk Yoo, 55, Jong Bae Yoo, 67, and Jong Nan Yoo, 50, were arrested
for poaching 95 black abalone from a cove in Monterey County. Robert Ji,
Jong Duk Yoo, Jong Bae Yoo and Jong Nan Yoo each plead guilty to
poaching charges and were placed on three years probation and fined
$15,000 each. Charges against Jennifer Ji were dropped.
Kelly said that the continuing arrest and prosecution of poachers is
key to preventing the extinction of these endangered animals. “It’s
the highest priority of our wardens in this area,” he said. “If this
problem is left unchecked, Monterey’s black abalone resource will
disappear forever.”
Citizens who witness the poaching of abalone or any related offenses
are asked to call the DFG 24-hour CalTIP line at (888) 334-2258.
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