Case File  #20   December 2009

Illegal Sale and Possession of Over-the-Limit of Brook Trout

As a result of a tip to Operation Game Thief in August of 2009, Maine game wardens and federal Fish and Wildlife officers began many, many of hours of surveillance of a poacher from Dover-Foxcroft who was operating an illegal commercial business selling both live and dead fish taken from local waters to private individuals around town.

The poacher pleaded and was found guilty of the sale on August 20th of 46 brook trout , the possession on August 20th of 41 brook trout over the limit, the possession on August 18th of 21 brook trout over the limit and the possession on August 21st of several live fish. The poacher was fined a total of $2,960 in fines. Due to the nature and severity of the offenses, the poacher will likely lose all hunting and fishing privileges.

The poacher was keeping several brook trout in an aerated tank in his house and evidence showed that these were being illegally sold to stock farm ponds.

According to Captain Dan Scott of the Maine Warden Service, "this guy was really damaging the resource as he was targeting pools of fish that gathered in spring holes because the water was so warm in the river at that time of the year and this could significantly affect the resource. He could essentially catch all the fish out of that stretch of the river", said Capt. Scott.

This poacher was caught because a concerned citizen saw the damage this poacher was doing to the resource and called Operation Game Thief.

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