Maui Men charged with Illegal Take and Possession of a Sea Turtle
Two Maui residents, a father and his son, are charged with the take and possession of a green sea turtle, a protected species, after being spotted by a DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement officer on routine patrol.
On Sunday at 6:50 a.m. the officer reported seeing the men retrieving a lobster net from a shoreline area known as “Round Tables” in the Waiehu area of Maui’s north shore.
The officer contacted the men and found a dead turtle entangled in fishing net, according to DLNR officials. “It had been placed in a metal tub which was attached to an inner tube,” according to a department release.
The turtle and all the physical items involved were taken as evidence and NOAA was informed of the incident.
Fifty-seven-year-old Randall Del Castillo Sr. and 33-year-old Randall Del Castillo Jr. both of Wailuku were cited for the take and possession of a green sea turtle, which is a prohibited activity under Hawai‘i Administrative Rules. Both men have court dates scheduled for Nov. 25 in Maui District Court.
Original source: https://mauinow.com/2021/10/06/maui-men-charged-with-illegal-take-and-possession-of-a-sea-turtle/