07-19-2004, 06:00 PM
11 sentenced for too many fish![[Image: spacer.gif]](http://www.grandforks.com/images/common/spacer.gif)
Fines fall far short of maximum penalty
By Brad Dokken
Herald Staff Writer
Eleven Minnesota anglers have been sentenced in Benson County (N.D.) District Court for keeping too many fish in two separate incidents - six for possessing 388 white bass over the daily limit and five for having 18 walleyes over the daily limit.
All of the anglers appeared Monday in Minnewaukan, N.D., before Judge Lee Christofferson.
The white bass incident occurred July 1, when an anonymous caller tipped the state's Report All Poaching hot line after seeing six anglers filling their coolers with fish while shore fishing at the boat ramp on Devils Lake south of Minnewaukan, N.D. The anglers were still there when wardens arrived and found 598 white bass, all caught that day, in the coolers.
North Dakota's white bass limit is 35 daily, with 175 in possession. Wardens confiscated the fish and donated them to a local church.
Sentenced on Monday for keeping too many white bass were Xu Vang, 45; Peter Vang, 26; Anthony Vang, 20; Kaven Kongchee Vang, 19; Chane T. Moua, 19; and William Yang, 21, all of St. Paul.
According to a Benson County court official, Xu Vang was fined $300 and ordered to pay a $125 court administration fee and a $100 facility administration fee. The judge revoked Vang's North Dakota fishing privileges for a year, and his fishing equipment also was confiscated.
The other five received lesser sentences, the court official said, each fined $200 and ordered to pay the $225 in court costs. Like Xu Vang, their North Dakota fishing privileges were revoked for a year, and their fishing gear was confiscated.
Also appearing in court Monday were five anglers charged with keeping too many walleyes.
July 3, wardens from the Game and Fish Department had encountered the group fishing from a boat on the south side of Grahams Island.
According to Paul Freeman, district game warden supervisor for Game and Fish in Devils Lake, the anglers threw a cooler overboard and into the water as the officers approached.
The wardens found the anglers with 43 walleyes, 18 fish over their daily limit. North Dakota's walleye limit is five daily, with 10 in possession.
Fined $150 each and ordered to pay $225 in court costs Monday were Sunny Lau, 40, of Lonsdale, Minn.; Sophead Chhun, 38, of St. Paul; Leigh Nguyen, 34, of Apple Valley, Minn.; Heangly Mom, 64, of St. Paul; and Saki Mom, 38, also of St. Paul. The judge also revoked each of the anglers' fishing privileges for the rest of the license year, which ends March 31, 2005, and ordered their fishing rods and tackle confiscated.
Because North Dakota and Minnesota each are part of an interstate wildlife violators compact, all of the anglers will lose their same fishing privileges in Minnesota.
Keeping fish in excess of the daily limit is a Class B misdemeanor in North Dakota, punishable by a maximum fine of $1,000 and 30 days in jail.
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Fines fall far short of maximum penalty
By Brad Dokken
Herald Staff Writer
Eleven Minnesota anglers have been sentenced in Benson County (N.D.) District Court for keeping too many fish in two separate incidents - six for possessing 388 white bass over the daily limit and five for having 18 walleyes over the daily limit.
All of the anglers appeared Monday in Minnewaukan, N.D., before Judge Lee Christofferson.
The white bass incident occurred July 1, when an anonymous caller tipped the state's Report All Poaching hot line after seeing six anglers filling their coolers with fish while shore fishing at the boat ramp on Devils Lake south of Minnewaukan, N.D. The anglers were still there when wardens arrived and found 598 white bass, all caught that day, in the coolers.
North Dakota's white bass limit is 35 daily, with 175 in possession. Wardens confiscated the fish and donated them to a local church.
Sentenced on Monday for keeping too many white bass were Xu Vang, 45; Peter Vang, 26; Anthony Vang, 20; Kaven Kongchee Vang, 19; Chane T. Moua, 19; and William Yang, 21, all of St. Paul.
According to a Benson County court official, Xu Vang was fined $300 and ordered to pay a $125 court administration fee and a $100 facility administration fee. The judge revoked Vang's North Dakota fishing privileges for a year, and his fishing equipment also was confiscated.
The other five received lesser sentences, the court official said, each fined $200 and ordered to pay the $225 in court costs. Like Xu Vang, their North Dakota fishing privileges were revoked for a year, and their fishing gear was confiscated.
Also appearing in court Monday were five anglers charged with keeping too many walleyes.
July 3, wardens from the Game and Fish Department had encountered the group fishing from a boat on the south side of Grahams Island.
According to Paul Freeman, district game warden supervisor for Game and Fish in Devils Lake, the anglers threw a cooler overboard and into the water as the officers approached.
The wardens found the anglers with 43 walleyes, 18 fish over their daily limit. North Dakota's walleye limit is five daily, with 10 in possession.
Fined $150 each and ordered to pay $225 in court costs Monday were Sunny Lau, 40, of Lonsdale, Minn.; Sophead Chhun, 38, of St. Paul; Leigh Nguyen, 34, of Apple Valley, Minn.; Heangly Mom, 64, of St. Paul; and Saki Mom, 38, also of St. Paul. The judge also revoked each of the anglers' fishing privileges for the rest of the license year, which ends March 31, 2005, and ordered their fishing rods and tackle confiscated.
Because North Dakota and Minnesota each are part of an interstate wildlife violators compact, all of the anglers will lose their same fishing privileges in Minnesota.
Keeping fish in excess of the daily limit is a Class B misdemeanor in North Dakota, punishable by a maximum fine of $1,000 and 30 days in jail.
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