Four Big Sur fishermen face jail time & fines

Four men caught illegally spearfishing in Big Sur are now facing jail time and fines.

According to the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office, 23-year-old Dennis Marshall Lewis, 22-year-old Darryl Lycurgus Lewis, 22-year-old Daniel Gordon Gross and 26-year-old Nicholas Ta pleaded no contest to taking fish within Big Creek State Marine Reserve.

All four men were placed on 3 years of informal probation with terms to serve 30 days in county jail and each to pay a fine of $1,000.

On March 19, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife received a tip that people were spearfishing where the take of any marine resource is prohibited. Once the witness confronted the suspected poachers, they changed out of their wetsuits and drove away.

Authorities used the truck’s license plate number to track down the suspects.

Fifteen fish including sheephead fish, lingcods, vermilion rockfish, cabezons, and blue rockfish were found inside the bed of the truck.

Big Creek State Marine Reserve is a state marine protected area.

The public is encouraged to turn in poachers and polluters by calling 1-888-334-CalTIP.