By the California Department of Fish and Game

California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) wardens cited a Southern California man early Sunday morning for poaching dozens of lobsters inside a Marine Protected Area (MPA).

Wardens observed Marbel A. Para, 30, of Romoland (Riverside County) and a companion SCUBA diving in the Laguna Beach State Marine Reserve after midnight on Jan. 15.

This location, which is in the Heisler Park area off the coast of Laguna Beach, has historically been closed to lobster fishing for years (even prior to the establishment of the MPA).

After the divers left the water and returned to their vehicle, the wardens made contact with them and discovered 47 California spiny lobsters in their possession. In addition to illegally taking the lobsters from an MPA, the divers were well over the legal possession limit of seven lobsters per diver, and all but five of the lobsters were undersize.

Para claimed that all the lobsters were his, and his companion was not cited.

This is the first major violation that DFG wardens have cited in any of the Southern California MPAs since they went into effect in Southern California on Jan. 1, 2012.

The MPAs were created through the Marine Life Protection Act in order to simplify and strengthen existing marine reserves and fishing regulations to allow recovery of fish populations that have been in severe decline.

“The vast majority of our fishing and diving constituents are responsible and law-abiding,” said DFG Assistant Chief Paul Hamdorff. “It is always our goal to catch those who choose to intentionally abuse the resources of this state for their own benefit.”

Wardens cited Para for several poaching violations including unlawful take and illegal possession of lobster, and possession of overlimits and undersized animals.

A report will be filed with the Orange County District Attorney and Para may face additional charges related to this case.
All the lobsters were confiscated, photographed as evidence and then safely returned to the ocean.

To view the original article, click here.

For the last two weeks, I’ve been lucky to get 10 feet of visibility off of Palos Verdes.

Now, the California coast is being pounded by nine foot waves, most likely pushing the visibility down to nothing.

Some often ask, “Why do lobsters go deeper in the middle of lobster season?”

It’s so they can escape the pounding surf.

From the National Weather Service:

…HIGH SURF ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM THIS MORNING TO
NOON PST WEDNESDAY…

* TIMING…SURF WILL BUILD THROUGH THE MORNING…PEAK LATER THIS
AFTERNOON AND OVERNIGHT…THEN BEGIN TO SUBSIDE BY LATE
WEDNESDAY MORNING.

* SURF…SURF WILL AVERAGE 6 TO 9 FEET DURING THE PEAK OF THE
EVENT. THERE WILL BE LOCAL SETS TO 10 FEET ON EXPOSED WEST
FACING BEACHES OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY…AND TO 11 FEET ON
EXPOSED WEST FACING BEACHES OF VENTURA COUNTY.

* IMPACTS…LARGE SURF AND VERY STRONG RIP CURRENTS WILL MAKE
OCEAN ACTIVITIES DANGEROUS FOR ANYONE. THERE COULD BE LOCAL
MINOR FLOODING OF LOW LYING AREAS NEAR THE TIMES OF HIGH TIDE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A HIGH SURF ADVISORY MEANS THAT HIGH SURF WILL AFFECT BEACHES IN
THE ADVISORY AREA…PRODUCING RIP CURRENTS AND LOCALIZED BEACH
EROSION.

Our friend, Max Bottomtime, reminds us all to be wary of conditions before we suit up and dive:

To view this video on YouTube, click here.