SPORTFISHING CAPTAIN PLEADED GUILTY FOR ILLEGAL FISHING
SPORTFISHING CAPTAIN PLEADED GUILTY FOR ILLEGAL FISHING IN SAN DIEGO’S SOUTH LA JOLLA STATE MARINE RESERVE
Del Mar, Ca; Oct. 16, 2024 - A sportfishing vessel was caught fishing illegally in a marine protected area off the coast of San Diego, leading to the captain’s guilty plea. The case highlights the ongoing partnership between the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and local conservation groups to protect one of the most diverse biological hotspots of marine life and their habitats in Southern California.
On December 17, 2022, the Commercial Passenger Fishing Vessel (CPFV) Pacific Voyager, captained by Mr. Mark Oronoz, was observed by CDFW officers actively fishing and retaining fish within the South La Jolla State Marine Reserve (SMR) in San Diego.
At the same time, the sportfishing vessel was being monitored by state wildlife officers utilizing the ProtectedSeas Marine Monitor (M2) radar system stationed in La Jolla, which is operated through a partnership with local conservation non-profit WILDCOAST. The vessel’s precise GPS coordinates provided by the M2 system confirmed its presence inside the no-take marine reserve.
Upon receiving the report, the state wildlife officers intercepted the CPFV Pacific Voyager as it attempted to exit the reserve. A subsequent investigation and interview with the captain verified the illegal fishing activity.
The case was forwarded to the San Diego City Attorney's office, leading to Mr. Oronoz’s guilty plea on December 11, 2023, to one misdemeanor violation of fishing inside an SMR. The court sentenced him to one year of summary probation, during which he must comply with all laws, complete five days of community service with San Diego County’s litter removal program and pay a $750 fine along with an additional $15 to the Fish and Game Preservation Fund.
“The M2 system was specifically designed to monitor and identify illegal activities in areas like this no-take reserve in South La Jolla,” said Brendan Tougher, M2 Product Manager at ProtectedSeas. “We are thrilled that our system can successfully support law enforcement and our community partners to protect these important marine areas from illegal fishing.”
“Illegal fishing operators inexcusably and illegally cause long-term damage to the marine ecosystem for their own personal gain,” said City Attorney Mara Elliott. “We are proud to work with our law enforcement partners at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to hold these offenders accountable. And we're especially grateful to WILDCOAST and ProtectedSeas, who've successfully developed technology that advances our ability to protect our treasured natural resources.”
Background on California's Marine Protected Areas
California's globally recognized network of marine protected areas (MPAs) is one of the most comprehensive in the world, covering approximately 16% of state waters. Established through a collaborative public planning process to conserve marine life and habitats, these MPAs help conserve biodiversity, support marine life populations, including those of economic value, and protect cultural and natural resources.
The South La Jolla SMR is a five-square-mile no-take reserve within this network where all forms of resource extraction, including fishing, are prohibited. This ensures the preservation of delicate ecosystems and the sustainability of marine species for future generations. This biological hotspot contains some of the most diverse marine life and habitats along California’s southern coast, including a dense kelp forest, rocky and sandy intertidal areas and rocky reefs that are home to an array of marine life including abalone, yellowtail, brown pelican, sea lions, and even the occasional migrating gray whale.
Commitment to Conservation
This successful prosecution underscores CDFW’s commitment to protecting California’s marine environments. The use of advanced tracking technology was crucial in documenting the violations and ensuring accountability.
The CDFW reminds all mariners and fishers of the importance of knowing the regulations for marine protected areas, which play a vital role in preserving marine biodiversity and ecosystems.
ABOUT WILDCOAST: WILDCOAST is an international team that conserves coastal and marine ecosystems and addresses climate change through natural solutions. Since 2000 the organization has helped to protect over 35 million acres of globally important coastal, marine and island ecosystems along the Pacific coast of North America.
ABOUT MARINE MONITOR: ProtectedSeas’ Marine Monitor (M2) is a shore-based vessel monitoring platform designed to document a variety of activities in the nearshore marine environment by utilizing a marine radar to detect and track vessels and a pan-tilt-zoom camera for capturing images.The M2 system operates fully autonomously, ensuring uninterrupted, year-round data collection of vessels ranging from commercial shipping to recreational boats. Its robust and self-sufficient design allows deployment in remote and rugged areas. Learn more at: https://m2marinemonitor.com.
MEDIA CONTACTS
WILDCOAST
Annelise Tappe
(925) 588-8278
Marine Monitor
Annie Reisewitz
Phone: 858-228-0526
Email: [email protected]
