Salmon Poachers

http://www.dec.ny.gov/press/108309.html
 

Three Salmon Poachers Arrested After Early-Morning Chase

"Three men suspected of poaching during the annual salmon run were arrested early Wednesday morning after leading police on a wild chase in the woods in Niagara County, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced today.
The incident occurred just after 2 a.m. when DEC Environmental Conservation Officers (ECOs) were conducting a night patrol along the Lake Ontario shoreline and its tributaries.
ECOs Roger Ward and Nathan Ver Hague were checking the Burt Dam area of 18-mile Creek in Newfane when they noticed several large garbage bags piled on a pathway. The officers inspected the bags and found them loaded with freshly caught salmon.
At the same time, a pickup truck slowly drove by the area. Two men approached on foot and ECO Ward revealed himself and ordered the men to stop. The men took off running through the woods. ECO Ward apprehended one suspect hiding in the brush, but as ECO Ver Hague chased the other down to the creek, the man dove in and swam off. The Niagara County Sheriff's Department was called for assistance.
Deputy Matt Grainge responded and located a pickup truck a short distance away matching the description given by the ECOs. The driver was sitting inside awaiting a call from the other two men.
Deputies Keith Hetrick, John Vosberg and a K-9 officer tracked the suspect who swam across the creek and eventually located him attempting to climb up a gorge. He was taken into custody.
A total of 69 salmon ranging in size from 5 to 35 pounds had been poached from the creek, the subjects using a weighted treble hook and net to snag the fish.
The three men - Sergey Yatchuk, 41, of 55 Applewood Ln., Getzville, Petro Parfenyk, 29, of 2204 Prospect Ave., Erie, Penn., and Mikhail F. Sakalosh, 39, of 8322 Taylor Colquitt Rd., Spartanburg, S.C. - were charged with 32 violations, including fishing without a license, possessing foul-hooked fish, taking fish by snatching, taking fish in excess of daily limit, and illegal fishing at night.
The three suspects were remanded to the county jail in lieu of bail, $1,100 for Parfenyk and Sakalosh and $1,000 for Yatchuk."
 
 
RUSSIANS!

Buddy of mine sent me this story lastnight. Good for the agency to get this guys. Only problem is, bust these 3 and 6 more take their place.

genie
 
definitely eastern European....

69 Salmon ! They had to bust their butts hauling them up and down that hill !  LOL.....
Bet there were a pile of Browns in those bags too !
 
Dove in and swam off ! lol...Now that's get an A+ for leaving the crime scene !
 
Probably only fine them $500.00 and they will be back next week !
 
Remember the Russians they caught on Walnut RR tubes years back poaching and snagging, similar deal had like 20-30 fish on a long rope.
 
That's why the runs are down and I can't catch any !

Who the heck would want 69 half dead decaying toxic fish!?

freshwaterdrumR
Who the heck would want 69 half dead decaying toxic fish!?

Maybe they have a big garden lol

Big markets for salmon roe in the Russian and Chinese immigrant communities.  They have been raping the Genesee this fall, too.

Lucky13
Big markets for salmon roe in the Russian and Chinese immigrant communities.  They have been raping the Genesee this fall, too.

Black market roe...makes sense

freshwaterdrumR
Who the heck would want 69 half dead decaying toxic fish!?

Eman.

Wow ! Need lots of garbage bags .

.

The Russians in Erie could learn from these guys!

Smallsac
$1000.00 bail?? for 69 fish =$14.49 per fish...where is the punishment...
 
They sell the roe, each female is worth over $200.00 to them, it is sold as imitation caviar.  Google it.
 
Caught them several times last year, have a great shot from gopro of one putting his hands behind his head (thought he was getting arrested) when I confronted him.   Should be able to shoot the *astards!   Hope they****raped, while in there.
 
Just look for the NY plates on the large vans in the parkinglots.  They know exactly what they are doing, they are organized, absolutely decimating the fishery.  

12/26-1/1 is prime picking time; they realize everyones on vacation. Absolutely disgusting. 

That's the bail, not the fine.

Like I said they (snaggers ) will all be back, only now they will be even more careful !
Weak enforced laws do nothing to restrict unlawful events like this !
 
Bet me we don't read this happening again in about two years or less.
I hope someone post the outcome after their trial or hearing.
 
"but as ECO Ver Hague chased the other down to the creek, the man dove in and swam off. "
You got to love that getaway at 2 am !    LMAO !

When I was a kid we used to sneak into local water dam.  Great fishing but you had to keep your eyes open, caretaker had double barrel loaded with rock salt and an old black lab.  Didn't have to outrun the lab, just the slowest guy with you.  Remember he got one of our friends, we found him sitting in the outflow creek...said it burned like hell.  
 
Grab the rock salt n release the hounds...
 
Just saying theres options...... 
 
Think they did pick up couple guys last year in trout run netting at 2am