Two men caught in lobster traps

Los Angeles Times ^ | March 20, 2007 | Louis Sahagun

[La Enchiladita]

**Suspecting poaching in a marine reserve, game wardens set up a sting. **

The battleship-gray fishing boat roared past in the dead of night with its running lights off, catching the attention of game wardens patrolling the open ocean just outside Los Angeles Harbor.

An onboard inspection turned up hundreds of California spiny lobsters — prized for their sweet flavor and meaty tails — but the skipper's story about where he caught them didn't seem to hold water.

The edgy encounter in early January prompted an elaborate undercover operation featuring an array of sophisticated tactics — including divers plunging into dangerous inky waters to secretly seed the fisherman's traps with marked lobsters — that would seem right at home in a James Bond adventure.

It all culminated before dawn Monday with the arrests of two men who state Department of Fish and Game officials say had raided a protected marine refuge of lobsters, thereby gaining an unfair advantage over competitors who abided by state fishing regulations.

Only two days before the close of California's six-month spiny lobster fishing season, "most commercial fishermen can work all day long to catch 20 to 30 pounds," said Fish and Game Capt. Martin Maytorena. "These suspects fished one day and trapped 500 pounds."

[La Enchiladita]

The investigation's code words, Operation Panulirus, were taken from the scientific name for the shellfish delicacy, Panulirus interruptus.

... Operation Panulirus involved about 15 game wardens, some of them from as far away as San Diego and Ventura. They were assisted by the Long Beach Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and relied on radar, electronic surveillance equipment, night scopes and binoculars to monitor the suspects' activities and bait their traps with the living evidence.

Then they waited.

A gripping tale of espionage on the high seas...er, in the deep sea. Just wow.

[La Enchiladita]

Lobster Ping

[armymarinemom]

Lobster People

[EveningStar]

[A knight without armor]

LOL!

In the Shrinkage episode of Seinfeld Kramer is scolded and ultimately arrested for robbing lobster traps.

[La Enchiladita]

Thatsa whole lotta lobsta!!!

LOLOL.

[La Enchiladita]

What about Ellen? Didn't she have a "save the lobster" episode or two?

[NicknamedBob]

I’ve Got The “I Got Caught In A Lobster Trap” Blues

I was just going fishin’, with a heckuva plan,
When I found out by dumb luck, I’d been caught by The Man.
Said I broke quite a few laws, and some limits as well,
Guess I’m now in a steam pot, and it’s here I shall dwell.

Oh, they caught me red-handed, and they slipped the cuffs on,
Those darn tight rubber handcuffs, sure are almighty strong.
I was free on the water, and now I’m in the soup,
If it weren’t for these handcuffs, I would sure fly the coop.

I got the I got caught in a lobster trap blues.
My face sure turned red when this hit the news!
It’s a heck of a fix.
Wish they’d stop taking pix.
I got the I got caught in a lobster trap blues.

NicknamedBob . . . . . . . . . . . . March 20, 2007

[La Enchiladita]

That is SOOOOOOO marvelous.....NNB!!!

Smooch!!

[pissant]

Cook 'em Dano

[Nailbiter]

see post #3 link

[beachn4fun]

My eyes!

[beachn4fun]

What a sting!

You guys lead such interesting lives on the Left Coast.

LOL

[IncPen]

Ok, I'm officially grossed out.

[La Enchiladita]

I wouldn't be surprised if we have some lobster people FReepers, or FReepers who know some lobster people.

[1rudeboy]

Ok, who has read the short stories of Jack London, especially his "Fish Patrol" series? Just curious.

[La Enchiladita]

All this cloak and dagger stuff to catch a couple of guys who catch lobstahs really cracks me up, Beachy.

Boat owner Hulse was charged with grand theft of property belonging to the people of California, and possession of fraudulent documents, both felonies, authorities said. Sambrano was charged with a single count of grand theft of property worth more than $400 from the people of the state.

I'm a "people of California" and I want my lobstah back!!!

[La Enchiladita]

I may have read them, but do not recall....

What's up with the stories?

[1rudeboy]

Nothing, really. Just some short fiction based on London's experience as a fisheries warden working off a sailboat (!) in the greater San Fransisco harbor area. I recommend them to everyone.

[beachn4fun]

LOL