October 23, 2014 — The following was released by the Maine Department of Marine Resources:
Theodore Gray, a 34-year-old lobsterman from Orland, will spend 2 days in Hancock County Jail and pay a $50,000 fine after pleading guilty on October 17 in Ellsworth District Court to possession of undersized and V-notched lobsters and with molesting lobster equipment.
Department of Marine Resources Commissioner Patrick Keliher also suspended Gray’s license for three years, beginning June 23 of this year.
“This was one of the most extreme cases involving violation of our state’s marine resources laws anyone in the department or the Marine Patrol can remember,” said Commissioner Keliher. “Not only is he now facing major fines and jail time, through his actions he has lost the privilege of earning a living harvesting Maine lobsters for three years. This case sends a strong message that the state of Maine will use all the tools at its disposal to find and remove law breakers from the water and to support the work of law abiding fishermen who work to sustain our vital marine resources.”
The charges stemmed from an investigation conducted in May by the Maine Marine Patrol and the Maine Warden Service in which Gray was charged not only with possession of 123 v-notched lobsters and 269 lobsters smaller than the legal minimum of 3 8/32 inches in length, but with possession of 20 traps belonging to another fisherman.
“I’m tremendously proud of the collaborative work of the Marine Patrol and the Warden Service in this case,” said Marine Patrol Major Jon Cornish. “These were serious violations of our laws and this case represents a major success in the efforts of our two bureaus to protect Maine’s natural resources and the people who rely on them.”
Maine law requires that lobsters harvested that measure less than 3 8/32 inches be released immediately.
Maine law also requires that harvesters who catch female lobsters with eggs use a v-notch tool or a sharp knife to remove a quarter-inch-deep portion from the flipper immediately to the right of the center one. The practice of notching a known “breeder” extends the lobster’s protection beyond the hatching of its eggs.
Maine Marine Patrol Officers Owen Reed and Rustin Ames, working with the assistance of Game Warden Brian Tripp, conducted the investigation that led to the Gray’s arrest.
While molesting lobster gear is a civil violation, the other two violations are both Class D crimes.