South Bay : Fish Dealer in a Pickle Over Sea Cucumbers

A Wilmington fish dealer is in a pickle with the state Department of Fish and Game for allegedly forging documents that allowed fishermen to harvest more than 400,000 pounds of sea cucumber.

State authorities accuse Mister Fish owner Frank T. Mateljan, 71, of forging the documents to obtain fishing permits for 17 commercial fishermen in a dozen boats.

Sea cucumber fishing permits are granted only to fishermen who harvested at least 50 pounds of the creatures between 1988 and 1991. Mateljan allegedly forged documents showing that the fishermen were entitled to harvest sea cucumbers, even though they were not.

The sea cucumber, a bottom-dwelling creature in the sea urchin family, is an Asian delicacy that sells on the retail market for as much as $20 a pound. Mister Fish is Southern California’s only wholesaler of sea cucumbers.

Long Beach Deputy City Prosecutor John Fentis is reviewing the misdemeanor allegations but has not decided whether to file criminal charges.

“I have to read [the document] and digest it,” he said.

Mateljan, who has been in business for 47 years, called the allegations “absolutely absurd,” adding, “I would have to have a hole in my head . . . to jeopardize my reputation to do something like that.”