17 Alleged Sturgeon, Abalone Poachers Hauled In

In a sweeping crackdown on poachers, state game wardens arrested 17 people Thursday across California on suspicion of illegally catching endangered fish and shellfish and selling some to restaurants.

Dozens of agents in California and Oregon targeted three operations in the Bay Area and Sacramento and charged suspects with illegal harvest of abalone and sturgeon -- two species considered delicacies that have suffered sharp declines in recent years.

The arrests occurred from Mission Viejo to Fort Bragg to Sacramento.

“We want to send a message that illegal commercialization of wildlife resources won’t be tolerated in California,” said Steve Martarano, spokesman for the California Department of Fish and Game.

In addition to abalone and sturgeon, wardens confiscated salmon, shark fins and caviar. Although it is legal to take many of those species, authorities said those arrested had harvested too many creatures, disregarded size regulations and sold some to restaurants.

Earlier this year, the state enacted emergency regulations after surveys indicated about 10,000 legal-size sturgeon remaining in the Sacramento River -- a 50-year low.

Sturgeon caviar retails for as much as $100 an ounce.

In another instance, authorities reported that 21 shelled abalone were recovered from the owner of the China House restaurant in San Francisco, but an employee at the restaurant said they did not offer the mollusk on the menu.

“Poaching is an enormous problem and poachers benefit to the tune of $100 million a year in California,” Martarano said. “Anything people can make a buck off of gets poached.”

Warner Chabot, vice president of the Washington-based Ocean Conservancy, said wildlife agencies stood to benefit from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s new budget, which contains more funds for game wardens.

“Poaching from the ocean is like robbing your mother,” Chabot said.

“I hope they throw the book at them.”