Pc report 8-13

I know of someone that took a cabbie out of season at PC.  They took the fish and issued a warning.  He was a newbie and I think they felt he learned his lesson.  But nonetheless, we all need to try to understand the complicated regs. 

I appreciate that about this forum compared to others (ifish). If I do get a ticket, I'll gladly pay.

Most fish & game violations in Oregon (including yours) can be prosecuted as Class A misdemeanors, which have a maximum of a $6250 fine and one year in jail...

While that may be true, how often do you hear of that kind of sentence being applied?  ODFW encounters non-compliance like this on a regular basis.  In this guy's case they would just confiscate the fish at the ramp, write him a ticket for probably around a couple hundred bucks after he explained to them it was an honest mistake. I imagine they reserve the full penalties for people they want to make examples of or where there was clear intent to knowingly violate the regs.

If it's an honest mistake, I also think it's a slap on the wrist as rawkfish mentioned.  I heard a story few months ago of someone knowingly violating the regs.  The total fine came up to around $24k: 6k for poaching, 6k for trespassing (night fishing at a closed area) 6k for fish mutilation and another 6k for something else.  When he/she went to court, ODFW actually had pics of that person from previous days violating regs to present to the judge. 

I mentioned it because I know of a similar violation - a coho was misidentified as a chinook and so taken out of season - and the person was fined. OSP told the person what the possible range of consequences were, which included being charged with a class A misdemeanor. The actual result was that the person had to show up in the Tillamook County courthouse (losing a day's pay) before a judge and pay a $110 fine, which the judge said was the minimum he could levy in that case.

I agree that kwik's case would not likely end up with anything close to a maximum sentence, but it is possible, and in any case it may be more than a routine traffic ticket type deal.

"Your honor, in order to convict my client, you are going to have to rule that you believe a FISH STORY some guy posted on the INTERNET".

"Your honor, in order to convict my client, you are going to have to rule that you believe a FISH STORY some guy posted on the INTERNET".

B'wah? Everyone knows everything on the internet it true! You couldn't post it otherwise!

Fred "True" Trujillo

Thanks for leaving this post. It elevates you're fishing esteem because it shows you taking responsibility for a common and easy mistake to make.  With all of the changes and updates none of us are immune.
Ona Snow

It's not the mistake, it's how you handle it that matters.  Way to Cowboy up.

John

Thanks for the kind words.  I felt and feel horrible and embarrassed about the whole thing.  I will be definitely be on top of checking the regs in the future even when I think I already know what they are!