Latest StoriesSaltwater Fishing DFW busts poaching ring in unlawful fish sales case By WON Staff - March 21, 2024 0 6990 FacebookXPinterestWhatsApp Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sign in Welcome! Log into your account your username your password Forgot your password? Get help Password recovery Recover your password your email A password will be e-mailed to you.
 law enforcement uncovered a network of recreational fishermen engaged in commercial fishing businesses with no regard to limits, documentation or adhering to the highly regulated business practices of the commercial fishing industry. The investigation revealed more than 5,500 pounds of fish were unlawfully bought and sold for more than $26,000.</p>
<p>Wildlife officers investigated David Haworth, 60, of San Diego, and Nicholas Haworth, 28, of La Jolla, who were buying and selling recreationally caught fish, failing to land fish (documenting the fish once it reaches land), facilitating the operation of an unlicensed fish business and falsifying landing documents to hide their poaching crimes.</p>
<p>CDFW officers spent more than six months on the investigation revealing evidence that the Haworths were illegally buying, and re-selling recreationally caught fish through associations with a network of recreational fishermen.</p>
<p>Wildlife officers obtained evidence that Lucas Dirkse, 29, of San Diego, Mitchell Bradford, 36, of San Diego, Brandon Demelo, 24, of San Diego, Tanner Whitmarsh, 30, of El Cajon, Trevor Whitmarsh, 25, of El Cajon and David Brown, 68, of San Diego, were selling fish to the Haworths. By selling fish to the Haworths, participants engaged in numerous illegal fishing activities including failure to register as a commercial fishing vessel, failing to obtain required permits through the federal National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, selling fish caught on a commercial passenger fishing vessel and falsifying documents among many more violations.</p><div class=)
