South Bay : FISHY BUSINESS
A 49-count criminal complaint was filed against a Wilmington-based fish company and 16 San Pedro fishermen charging that they conspired to harvest and sell sea cucumbers illegally.
The complaint filed Tuesday in Long Beach Municipal Court alleges that Mister Fish Inc. conspired with the fishermen to alter permits to gain access to limited entry zones where sea cucumbers flourish, Long Beach Deputy City Prosecutor John Fentis said.
The misdemeanor charges include 15 counts of forgery, conspiracy and possession of forged documents in addition to charges that Frank Thomas Mateljan, president of Mister Fish, made false statements to the Department of Fish and Game.
Mister Fish is one of the largest local distributors of sea cucumbers, according to Fish and Game spokesman Patrick Moore. For the last three years the company has marketed 49% of the local sea cucumber harvest.
If convicted, Mateljan faces a maximum fine of $1,000 or up to one year in jail for each of the charges. Mateljan, who is scheduled for arraignment Sept. 26, could not be reached for comment.
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