Officers reel in illegal fishing

Commercial fishermen and fishing companies are facing charges.
CLEVELAND (AP) -- Like secret agents, state wildlife officers hid in weedy fields and among trees along Lake Erie, aiming high-powered camera lenses at the docks where commercial fishing boats unload their haul.
The officers documented each day's catch on film and in log books.
The result: Prosecutors have struck the first round of plea bargains against commercial fishermen in the largest criminal case brought by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Some are blaming those commercial fisherman for the downturn in the once booming sport fishing on Lake Erie.
A caller tipped wildlife officer Kevin Ramsey on Nov. 22, 2002, that some commercial fishermen on the lake's Western and Central basins caught and sold tons of yellow perch in excess of their quotas. A surveillance operation began the following May.
"It was extremely tedious," he said. "Sometimes we'd do crossword puzzles, sit around and wait. We couldn't leave because we didn't know when the boats might be back."
What was documented
Ramsey's eight-officer unit says it documented 40 tons of yellow perch, with a value of nearly $1 million, being caught and sold in excess of quotas in 2002 and 2003.
He netted five fishing companies and 14 commercial fishermen on racketeering, theft and money laundering charges.
"I guess you could say that before this case, the penalties hadn't been a deterrent," said Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Bill Mason. "It was really pretty unbelievable what they accomplished."
Four defendants pleaded guilty and agreed to testify against three others, who face up to 10 years in prison and hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines if they are convicted. Their trial is scheduled for Dec. 5.
A second case is moving more slowly, with no trial date set.
Judge Nancy Margaret Russo ordered the plea bargainers to pay $86,500 in restitution and $2,750 in fines.
The restitution included 940 pounds of seized yellow perch, which was donated to the Cleveland Foodbank.
Questions raised
The charges brought to the forefront the argument over what is best for Lake Erie fishing, and who owns the stocks of walleye, perch, bass and trout.
Sport fishermen have been bumping heads with commercial netters and blowing the whistle on suspected abuse for decades, typically with little results.
"Their incentive to cheat is unbelievable," said Jerry Abele, captain of the Headhunter charter fishing boat and a veteran of 40 years on the lake.
Larry Davis, 67, a third-generation commercial fisherman, resents being lumped with the others.
"Our enforcement in Ohio is much better than that, believe me," Davis said. "They watch us very closely, as it should be. I have no qualms with that."
Charter boat captain Mike Matta shares Abele's competitive opposition to commercial fishing but is more diplomatic.
"My main problem is with the disparity of the fines," Matta said. "I hope the judge understands that, as a sportsman, I would have to pay a hefty price if I made a mistake. Historically, the commercial guys haven't paid their fair share."
Ramsey said more charges are expected.
"We're not even half done," Ramsey said. "There's a lot more folks, with bigger criminal cases pending."
If convicted, some of the state's 12 commercial fishermen may be forced to forfeit their licenses -- precious papers that could be worth more than $1 million on the open market, Ramsey said.