A ship's captain from Vietnam was arrested last week in New Hampshire on charges that he was illegally poaching lobster, crab and mussels using traps belonging to local fishermen.
The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, acting on a tip about illegal lobster activity, boarded a 400-foot cargo ship sailing under the Panama flag that was docked in Newington on the Piscataqua River on June 6.
Upon boarding the ship, conservation officers said they discovered multiple ropes extending from the side of the ship into the water. The lines were inspected, and stolen lobster traps belonging to licensed New Hampshire commercial fishermen were found containing lobsters, crabs and bags of blue mussels. Additionally, a small, submerged wire cage containing an undersized, female egg-bearing lobster was discovered.
The ship's captain, a Vietnamese national, was arrested and charged with three misdemeanor counts of lobster and crab fishing without a license and illegal possession of another's lobster gear, officials said. He was also charged with five violations for illegal trap construction, possession of a short egg-bearing lobster, unlawful possession of crabs, unlawful possession of blue mussels and an egg-bearing crab. The defendant's name has not been released.
An expedited arraignment was facilitated by the Portsmouth District Court, and an interpreter was provided to the defendant to address the violations before the ship and crew departed. The defendant pleaded to all charges, was convicted and paid all fines on Wednesday. All gear belonging to New Hampshire lobster fishermen will be returned, according to the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department.