June 19, 2006
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Austin, Texas — Acting on an Operation Game Thief (OGT)
hotline tip, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department game wardens
apprehended seven individuals on June 8 with more than 2,000 pounds
of illegally caught snapper. The case, one of the largest seizures
in Texas in recent years, resulted in citations for 26 game law
violations and could result in fines and restitution of upwards of
$20,000.
According to TPWD Game Warden Lt. Alan Teague, officials received a
call about anglers on a shrimp vessel who were retaining every fish
they were landing near an oil and gas platform in the Gulf of Mexico
20 miles south of Corpus Christi. Game wardens intercepted the
vessel in state waters, but released it after determining the
suspects carried the appropriate federal permit to retain red
snapper they claimed were caught in federal waters.
“As long as they were in transit, they were okay,” said Teague.
“But, they got greedy and we later caught them fishing off a rig in
state waters, which meant they were in violation of Texas laws. Even
if they had a Texas commercial finfish license, the maximum number
of red snapper they could have retained would be 28. They had over
800 fish.”
The haul was confiscated by game wardens and sold dockside for more
than $4,200.
Teague noted the individuals involved, along with the boat’s owner,
have a rap sheet with a collective 62 game law violations. One of
the suspects has 45 previous illegal red snapper cases pending with
TPWD.
Operation Game Thief is Texas' Wildlife Crime-Stoppers Program,
offering rewards of up to $1,000.00 for information leading to the
arrest and conviction for a wildlife crime. Begun in 1981 as a
result of laws passed by the 67th Legislature to help curtail
poaching, the program, a function of the Law Enforcement division of
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, is highly successful,
having been responsible for the payment of over $195,000.00 in
rewards. Privately funded, the program is dependent on financial
support from the public through the purchase of OGT merchandise and
memberships, donations, sponsorships, and gifts. To report suspected
game law violations call the OGT hotline at 1-800-792-GAME.
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