Category: Poachers

SCI Foundation’s Hunter Legacy 100 Fund Aid Anti-Poaching Efforts in Tanzania

March 4, 2015 Tucson, AZ – Joseph Hosmer, President, Safari Club International Foundation (SCI Foundation), announced that SCI Foundation’s Hunter Legacy 100 Fund (HLF) donated $100,000 to provide the Wildlife Conservation Foundation of Tanzania (WCFT) with vehicles to be used by anti-poaching patrols.

SCI Foundation has outfitted anti-poaching units with two fully equipped Toyota Land Cruisers to monitor the Selous Game Reserve. These new Cruisers will allow teams to locate and track areas most susceptible to poachers.

“I am very sure that the elephants and other wildlife are more secure today and we already see the difference in the bush,” WCFT Trustees and Executive Vice President Eric Pasanisi said. “On behalf of the Wildlife Conservation Foundation of Tanzania, I would like to sincerely thank you for your generous donation to our fight to preserve our wildlife in Tanzania.”

The US Fish and Wildlife Service’s recent decision to ban elephant imports from Tanzania has limited conservation funding considerably; but SCI Foundation’s grant has allowed the WCFT to mobilize additional scouts and maintain programs in place to protect Tanzania’s wildlife. Read more

Hunting, Poachers

DNR recommends charges in Otsego County elk-poaching case,

Michgian DNR conservation officer door shieldA Jackson County man has confessed to the illegal killing of a small bull elk during the firearm deer season in Otsego County, according to Michigan Department of Natural Resources conservation officers who investigated the incident.

A passerby discovered elk parts dumped along a rural road Nov. 29, 2014.  A DNR conservation officer investigating the scene located a grocery store receipt among the entrails of an elk. A six-week investigation ensued, with a suspect being identified and interviewed. A confession was obtained, and charges are now being reviewed by the Otsego County prosecutor.

According to Lt. Jim Gorno, DNR law enforcement supervisor in Gaylord, conservation officers from the DNR’s Gaylord Customer Service Center were assisted in the investigation by officers from southern Michigan, a diligent Report All Poaching (RAP) Hotline dispatcher, and a detective from the department’s Special Investigations Unit.

“This case started with very limited clues and evidence, but through solid investigative follow-up, in conjunction with excellent teamwork being displayed by several of our officers around the state, it was brought to a successful conclusion,” said Gorno. “It shows diligence and tenacity in investigating cases involving our high-value fish and game species.” Read more

Poachers

Texas Game Wardens Seize Shark Boat in Gulf

AUSTIN – Texas game wardens have seized a Mexican shark-fishing boat in state waters near the Texas-Mexico border.

Wardens were patrolling the Gulf of Mexico earlier today for illegal fishing activity when they spotted a Mexican fishing boat moving northbound in Texas waters.

When the wardens, who were operating a 29-foot Safe Boat equipped with twin 250-horsepower motors, attempted to stop the boat its occupants ignored the state vessel and began racing back toward Mexican waters. After a brief pursuit, the wardens were able to pull along the boat and get it stopped. Read more

Fishing, Poachers

Mexican Poachers Interdicted by USCG Off Texas Coast

South Texas Coast Guard crews pursue and interdict a Mexican fishing vessel, Friday, Feb. 6, 2015 off the Coast of South Padre Island, Texas. U.S. Coast Guard photos.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Coast Guard interdicted one Mexican fishing vessel, Friday, after observing the vessel’s crewmembers poaching in U.S. waters.

At approximately 12:00 p.m., while on a routine patrol, an Air Station Corpus Christi aircrew aboard an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter spotted a lancha north of the United States – Mexico maritime border and offshore of South Padre Island. When sighted by the helicopter the lancha fled. The helicopter crew then notified the Sector Corpus Christi Command Center and commenced pursuit of the lancha.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Corpus Christi Command diverted a crew aboard a Station South Padre Island 33-foot law enforcement boat to interdict the lancha. The Dolphin helicopter aircrew vectored in the law enforcement boat as the lancha fled toward the border. After a more than 30-minute pursuit, the lancha crew was stopped 10 miles into Mexico’s Exclusive Economic Zone. There were no injuries or damage to either the lancha or the pursuit boat after the pursuit in 4-5 foot seas. The four Mexican nationals aboard admitted to fishing illegally in U.S. waters and had 12 red snapper, 2 nurse sharks and 1 grouper totaling 150 pounds aboard their lancha. Read more

Fishing, Poachers

Coast Guard Seizes 3 Miles of Illegal Long Line Set by Mexican Fishermen

Coast Guard crews seized approximately 3 miles of long line fishing gear, Jan. 30, 2014, about 35 miles off the coast of South Texas. U.S Coast Guard photos.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Coast Guard crews seized a total of approximately 3 miles of long line fishing gear set by multiple Mexican fishermen operating illegally in U.S. waters Jan. 30.

Last night, Coast Guard Cutter Amberjack sighted multiple vessels moving at a high rate of speed southwards the maritime border. Unable to interdict the vessels, Amberjack returned to the vicinity of initial sighting, where crewmembers removed 700 yards of long line gear late last night and recovered an additional 4,400 yards this morning. The majority of the gear was found approximately 35 miles off the coast of South Texas.

Each mile of long line has scores of baited hooks and is capable of catching hundreds of fish per mile set. The seized lines contained 175 red snapper, 16 sharks, 3 stingrays and several other reef fish. Approximately 170 of these fish were found alive and released at sea. Read more

Fishing, Poachers

Conspirators in Gulf Oil Spill Fund Fraud Sentenced

BIRMINGHAM-A federal judge today sentenced three south Alabama family members to prison for running a scheme to steal more than $3 million from the claims fund established by British Petroleum for victims of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, announced U.S. Attorney Joyce White Vance and FBI Special Agent in Charge Roger C. Stanton.

U.S. District Judge Sharon Lovelace Blackburn sentenced MARCELLA TRUSS, 53, to 12 years and one month in prison. The judge also ordered Truss to pay $1.9 million in restitution and to forfeit that same amount as proceeds of illegal activity. Judge Blackburn sentenced Truss’ husband, MARTEE DAVIS, 42, to 13 years and three months in prison. The judge ordered Davis to be responsible for the same restitution and forfeiture as Truss. Judge Blackburn sentenced Truss’ brother, HOWARD LENARD CARROWAY, 42, to eight years in prison. Truss and Davis lived in Grand Bay, Ala., and Birmingham, and Carroway lived in Mobile during the course of the scheme. Read more

Poachers

DSC Urges Feds to Review Science, Permit Black Rhino Hunt

DALLAS – The U.S. government is deciding whether an American hunter should be allowed to bring home the taxidermy from a tentatively planned black rhino hunt in Namibia. An import permit could be approved or denied any day. DSC is urging the feds to make their decision based on the best available science, not emotional rhetoric.

DSC outlined its request in a formal letter submitted during a public comment period.

The letter reiterates the hunt is for a single, aged, non-breeding male known to charge and kill younger bulls, cows and even calves. This behavior, well documented in scientific literature, jeopardizes the future of the herd.

Since black rhinos are critically endangered, all forms of additive mortality “must be addressed in a manner that adds to stabilization and growth” of remaining populations, wrote Ben Carter, DSC executive director. Read more

Hunting, Poachers, Wildlife

Coast Guard Intercepts Mexicans Poaching South Texas Waters

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – The Coast Guard interdicted a Mexican fishing crew poaching in South Texas Monday (Dec. 29) morning.

At approximately 10 a.m. Monday, an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Corpus Christi sighted a Mexican fishing boat, also known as a lancha, 29 miles offshore of South Padre Island and 1 mile north of the United States/Mexico maritime border with fishing gear and bait fish on board.

The aircrew notified Coast Guard Sector Corpus Christi watchstanders, who diverted a Coast Guard Station South Padre Island boatcrew aboard a 33-foot law enforcement boat. After a 9-mile pursuit, the boatcrew stopped the lancha with four people, baitfish and longline gear aboard. All persons and confiscated gear were turned over to Customs and Border Protection. Read more

Fishing, Poachers
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