January 31, 2016
From MPNNow.com
Lisenbee: Even poachers cross the line
On Jan. 11, two whooping cranes that were part of an experimental population in Louisiana were found dead in southeast Texas. These birds, a male and female, were almost 2 years old and were part of a group being introduced in an effort to establish a self-sustaining population in Louisiana that now numbers 44.
Trey Joseph Frederick was arrested Jan. 14 pursuant to a criminal complaint issued by the U.S. District Court charging him with violating the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. An investigation revealed the defendant had been seen in the area with a hunting rifle and had claimed to be hunting geese. Federal Fish and Wildlife agents contacted Frederick at his home on LaBelle Road where he admitted to killing the cranes.
The NYS DEC has long had a running battle with poachers taking just about every wild species of game and non-game bird, fish and animal in New York, including everything from turtles and rattlesnakes to moose, bear and deer.
And now two Clinton County men are facing charges for poaching trout and salmon from the Saranac River in the City of Plattsburgh in Clinton County.
Environmental Conservation Police Officers have arrested 38-year-old Joshua Todd and 34-year-old Christopher J. Dumas, both of Plattsburgh on Dec. 15,
2015 for illegally taking Atlantic salmon and brown trout. The two men allegedly used an illegal fishing technique known as “snagging” to poach the fish. It involves dragging a weighted hook through the water until it gets embedded into the body of the fish. The men are charged with taking fish by means other than angling. Mr. Dumas is also charged with fishing without a license.
Situations like those mentioned in today’s column are, unfortunately, not rare occurrences. If the truth be known, poaching is actually quite common.
It occurs all over the country, from the most rural wilderness areas to urban neighborhoods.