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Wisconsin anglers face fines,
restitution totaling nearly $7,000 in Minnesota
(2005-04-05)
Five anglers from Wisconsin face fines and restitution of
nearly $7,000 after being caught with 206 perch over their
legal limit while fishing on Lake Winnibigoshish in
northeastern Minnesota.
Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Conservation Officer
Larry Francis, Remer, was among the officers who contacted
the group on March 25 as they were packing up from a day
on the lake.
"They admitted to having fished for several days and that
the fishing was good," Francis said. "They also admitted
they possessed the rest of 'their limit' at their cabin."
There officers found 303 perch in the round (not filleted)
and seven one-gallon plastic bags that contained filleted
perch. Six of the seven bags were discovered between the
mattress and box spring of one of the beds.
The anglers had concealed another 69 perch in a bag
containing a power auger. When the counting was completed
the group possessed more than 406 perch, 206 perch over
the legal limit.
The perch limit in Minnesota is 20 daily and 40 in
possession per individual.
Charged in Cass County District Court with gross overlimit
of perch were Bradley Arthur Bricco, 31, Shawano, Wis.;
Cotty George Barrett, 47, West Bend, Wis.; Allen Emil
Barrett, 45, Marion, Wis.; Richard Charles Bricco, 52, and
David Roy Anderson, 45, both of Clintonville, Wis.
Each man was charged under Minnesota's Gross Overlimits
Law and had his license seized. The citation carried a
fine of $920 and a restitution value of $410, for a total
of $1,330 for each angler.
Bradley Bricco showed little remorse and made some bold
statements. He was a bit more subdued when he saw the
fine/restitution amount, according to Francis.
Poachers can have their fish and game licenses seized and
face stiffer penalties, including having their boats,
motors and trailers confiscated, under Minnesota's gross
overlimits regulation in effect since March 1, 2003.
The law is based on established restitution values that
determine payments made by poachers to the state for
illegally taken game and fish. For example, a walleye is
valued at $30.
Under the gross overlimits law, the time period for
license suspension is based on those restitution values.
The higher the restitution values, the longer the
suspension of hunting or fishing privileges. For instance,
a poacher would lose his fishing licenses for three years
if he had 24 walleye, which is 18 fish over the legal
limit.
The law also allows for a gross misdemeanor penalty when
the value of illegally taken game and fish exceeds $1,000.
The enhanced penalties apply to small game and waterfowl
violators as well as commercial fishing operations. It is
aimed at intentional poachers, according to DNR Chief
Conservation Officer Col. Mike Hamm.
"The law is not to target the average angler or hunter who
makes an honest mistake," Hamm said. "It targets those who
are intentionally out to break the law."
The law also allows for joint liability when two or more
people are involved. In addition, those who lose their
fishing or hunting privileges in Minnesota would also be
barred from similar activities in 16 other states that
share reciprocity agreements. "This law gives conservation
officers better ability to protect and preserve
Minnesota's natural resources," Hamm said.
"Overlimit violations are among the most difficult and
time-consuming violations for conservation officers to
detect and enforce," said Maj. Al Heidebrink, DNR
Enforcement Division operations manager. "Gross violations
of overlimits can have a drastic effect on wildlife
populations that are already at risk and complicate or
render ineffective management efforts by professional
wildlife and fisheries managers."
One of the most widely recognized deterrents against
violation of natural resource laws is the loss of license
privileges.
"This, when coupled with developing wildlife violator
compacts providing for reciprocal license revocation
agreements between states, has the potential to greatly
deter even the most habitual and flagrant natural
resources law violator," Heidebrink said.
An example of a flagrant violation occurred in August 2002
when conservation officers Scott Fritz and Joe Frear
received a report of an illegal fish fry. Upon
investigation, the officers discovered 61 bags of fish
with 10 to 12 fish per bag, totaling 1,700 fish (perch,
sunfish and crappies). Continuing the search, officers
found several freezers containing fish. Each package was
labeled with the date, lake, amount and species of fish in
the bag.
"We don't expect to encounter a lot of these gross
overlimit violations," Heidebrink said, "but when we do,
we have the ability to swiftly and effectively deal with
violators of our natural resources laws." |
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