A suspected lobster poacher was found in possession of 24 lobsters in the South La Jolla State Marine Reserve, highlighting a bigger poaching problem in the area. The incident reflects a history of poaching in La Jolla, specifically in this particular area.
A suspected lobster poacher at South La Jolla Marine Reserve was found in possession of 24 lobsters last month. An illegal harvesting of lobster in the South La Jolla State Marine Reserve last month underscores what a local conservation group has described as a bigger poaching problem in the area.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a marine protected area, or MPA, is a region designated and managed for long-term conservation of marine resources, ecosystems and/or cultural heritage. In many of those areas, fishing and disturbing or taking wildlife is limited or prohibited.
La Jolla has four MPAs: the Matlahuayl State Marine Reserve near La Jolla Cove, the San Diego-Scripps Coastal State Marine Conservation Area just north of Matlahuayl off La Jolla Shores, and the South La Jolla State Marine Reserve and the South La Jolla State Marine Conservation Area off Bird Rock. They were established in 2012.
The latest high-profile poaching event took place on June 13 when a California Department of Fish and Wildlife officer on an early morning low tide patrol pulled over a person illegally harvesting lobster from a local marine reserve from which it is illegal to take any marine resource. Upon inspection, the suspect was found in possession of 24 lobsters, California Department of Fish and Wildlife shared on social media. Of those 24 lobsters, 21 were undersized.
Beyond being out of season, all the lobsters had spear holes in them, confirming they were also illegally taken with a spear and many of the lobsters were females that were carrying eggs, the department explained in the post. The suspect's lobsters and spearfishing equipment were seized as evidence and the suspect was arrested for multiple counts of several violations.
According to the social media post, these violations include taking lobster out of season, possessing undersized lobster, exceeding the daily bag limit of lobster, harvesting within a state marine reserve, using an unlawful method of take, fishing without a valid license, and failing to possess a measuring device. California Department of Fish and Wildlife spokesman Peter Tira said that the case is an active law enforcement investigation and additional updates were not immediately available.
The most recent incident reflects a history of poaching in La Jolla, specifically in this particular area. The South La Jolla State Marine Reserve has been identified as one of the most poached MPAs in California, according to Del Mar-based ocean conservation group Wildcoast, which participates in a program called MPA Watch, in which volunteers patrol the areas and monitor what people are doing there.
Equipment - some of it in La Jolla - also is used to monitor MPAs around the clock and record any illegal activity. Through that equipment, Mulligan said, Wildcoast determined that the South La Jolla State Marine Reserve is one of California's most poached MPAs based on citations written.
California Department of Fish and Wildlife added that there has a particular uptick in lobster activity within state marine reserves during the summer months and during lobster season from late September to mid March. Anyone who witnesses poaching, polluting or other violations can call 888-334-2258 or text CALTIP, followed by a space, to 847411
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