June 2001 Newsletter

"NEWS"

If you aren't monitoring ba_diving.org, you should be!
Here are some recent bulletins:

Message: 1 Date: Fri, 1 Jun 2001 11:25:58 EDT
From: [suppressed]
Subject: Whales at Monastery

Last Saturday, there was indeed a small gray whale cruising from Monastery to Pt Lobos. At least one diver saw it underwater, and many saw it on the surface.

Message: 7 Date: Fri, 1 Jun 2001 21:46:10 -0700
From: "Robert Roach" [suppressed]
Subject: Abalone Poachers Convicted

On May 22, 2001, a Monterey County jury convicted two men of poaching abalone. The judge sentenced each defendant to pay a fine of $3,600 and spend time in jail. The convicted men are two brothers, Amel and Edwin Pajimola of Salinas.

In December 2000, State F&G Wardens observed one of the brothers carrying a bag containing 15 black abalone on the Monterey coast between Rocky Point and Garrapata Creek. The suspect threw the bag over the cliff. When it was later recovered, it was found to contain the 15 abalone and 39 sea urchins. The Wardens also located the other brother with a bucket containing 30 pounds of mussels. Because the offenses took place last year, the brothers were subject to prior sentencing guidelines rather than those now enforced. If the offense happened at this time, one could be subject to a fine from $15,000 to $45,000, the possibility of lifetime loss of fishing privileges, jail time and forfeiture of boats, equipment and vehicles. Paraphrased from The Monterey County Post, May 31 edition.

California Mussel Quarantine Hotline: 510-540-2605

Those of you who collect mussels should know about this hotline on the status of mussel collecting as it pertains to bacteria counts. Mussel season closed on 5-1-01.

Thanks to Mike Walsh for supplying this number. -cz

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