April 1, 2024 — The U.S. state of California has busted a poaching ring based out of the city of San Diego that was illegally catching and selling bluefin tuna, yellowtail, and mahi.
California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) said the poaching ring engaged in commercial fishing with “no regard to limits, documentation, or adhering to the highly regulated business practices of the commercial fishing industry.” In total, the fishermen involved were fined USD 145,000 (EUR 135,000) for the infractions, which included buying and selling more than 5,500 pounds of illegally caught fish that were sold for more than USD 26,000 (EUR 24,200).