A Placer County man faces jail time after the California Department of Fish and Wildlife discovered an illegal fish-selling operation.
According to the CDFW, the Delta Bay Enhanced Enforcement Program and Special Operations Unit investigated a conspiracy to sell Pacific lamprey, which led to the arrest of Justin D. Lewis. Lewis obtained Pacific lamprey, a California state species of special concern, from the Klamath River in Del Norte County and sold the fish to vendors across Colusa County and beyond.
According to the CDFW, lamprey are commonly used as bait for sturgeon and other fish, but they are also highly cherished by the Yurok tribe in Del Norte County as a food source and cultural symbol.
On May 21, Lewis was sentenced to two years in the Colusa County Jail and another year of supervised release. He must also pay over $20,000 in fines, and his fishing license is suspended.
