The California Fish and Game Commission revoked a local fisherman’s commercial fishing license and lobster operating permit after he abandoned lobster traps around Santa Barbara and the Channel Islands.
Christopher Miller, 68, from Santa Barbara, abandoned 156 lobster traps in the water after the season closed, failing to retrieve baited traps and filing inaccurate trap records over the course of a decade, according to Peter Tira with the California Fish and Wildlife Department.
The department said abandoned traps endanger marine mammals and other wildlife that can become trapped and shorten the fishing seasons.
“The majority of people who fish commercially are law-abiding and care about our fisheries,” said Nathaniel Arnold, Chief of the CDFW Law Enforcement Division. “There are a few individuals, however, who choose to partake in commercial poaching. These individuals will eventually be caught and will likely lose the privilege to commercially fish in this state through either criminal or administrative actions.”
Last year, Miller pleaded guilty in a Santa Barbara Superior Court to falsifying commercial fishing records, harvesting lobster out of season, and abandoning at least 156 commercial lobster traps around Santa Cruz Island and the Santa Barbara Harbor.
It was his third commercial lobster poaching conviction since 2014.
After the closure of the 2021-22 commercial lobster season, Miller failed to retrieve traps after he was ordered by the CDFW officers to do so, according to the state agency.
Abandoned, the traps continued to capture wildlife that was unable to escape and would have been freed if the traps were removed.
Fish and lobster reportedly died in Miller’s traps as they were unable to hunt for food, and then attracted more fish and wildlife that got trapped, according to CDFW.
The California Fish and Game Commission also revoked a license from Ronald Ghera, 45, from Fortuna, for abandoning 94 crab traps after the 2023 season and 74 traps after the 2024 season.
Fish and wildlife violations can be reported to CalTIP at 888.334.2258 or text 847411 (tip411).