Alaska Wildlife Troopers this weekend caught a man selling sport-caught salmon at the Southeast Artisans Flea Market, a business in the Nugget Mall complex.
Troopers say they received a tip that local resident Christopher C. Ruiz, 24, was selling sport-caught fish, and they went undercover on Sunday to purchase some.
Lt. Steve Hall, the trooper in command of the Southeast region, said Ruiz sold them jarred Chum and King salmon. It cost $8 for a small jar.
Ruiz admitted the violation during an interview with Troopers, Hall said.
Ruiz was cited for the non-criminal minor offense, which cannot be punishable by jail time. The maximum possible penalty is a $500 fine. He is scheduled to be arraigned in Juneau District Court later this month.
Ruiz’s number is not listed in the Alaska Communications phone book, and he could not be reached for comment.
Hall said in a phone interview that the rules and regulations prohibiting the sale of sport-caught fish have long been in place in Alaska, and that it is a “pretty common” law in the Lower 48, too.
That’s for several reasons, he said. The rules and regs allow people to fish commercially, recreationally or for subsistence.
“It isn’t intended for them to profit off their take of the resource,” Hall said.
He also noted that there are health safety issues involved.
“In order to process commercial fish for sale, you have to be properly permitted through various agencies to produce food for human consumption,” Hall said. “So without proper permitting, you couldn’t even go buy commercially caught fish.”
Troopers receive such complaints “a few times a year” in Juneau, Hall said. He added it’s more prevalent in other parts of the state.
• Contact reporter Emily Russo Miller at 523-2263 or at emily.miller@juneauempire.com.
Comments (23)
Add commentSoooooo...
...what are the regs on selling herring eggs, gumboots and seal grease?
Hmmm
Probably not the smartest move, selling sport-caught fish in the Juneau market.
$8.00 a Jar!
Must have been snagged at the dock!
Really?
Gift jars, feathers--Alaskan crafts? What's next? Given them a break! How about all that tourist and commercial home pack headed south, boxes and boxes? Try some flee markets in Arizona. We need an exception for Alaska homemade!
His FB page has a banner that
His FB page has a banner that says, "What would you attempt to do?" He attempted to do something illegal (and stupid, and per Courtview, it wasn't his first such rodeo) and got caught. Well done, moron.
“In order to process
“In order to process commercial fish for sale, you have to be properly permitted through various agencies to produce food for human consumption,”
I believe the fish did all the work in producing food for human consumption. Permits don't make food edible...
Where is the floggin rule when we need it......
This sort of thing is illegal almost everywhere in the U.S. and has been particularly so here in Alaska; violating this regulation is either totally stupid or totally brazen, take your pick. BUT.....if the penalty were more severe he might think twice about doing it again.
Let's check out that thing in Singapore again where you get slapped in stocks and flogged when you violate a rule that offends your neighbors.
From what I've heard and read it works very well at reducing second offenses.
Oh for crying out loud...
Do the Troopers in Juneau not have anything better to do?
Ridiculous.
@fdubz
Answer:
No.
Latitude, I think
the not-so-smart move would have been buying jarred fish off of someone you don't know. Something that carries potentially nasty food hazards when not prepared correctly, I only eat out of my own kitchen, or from those I know and trust!
@ Futomake and Birchwood
Can it! He is a good guy and was only trying to provide for his family. Get over yourselves. Like you have never made a mistake.
What about jam at the church bake sale?
What about jam at the church bake sale?
What about bake sales in general?
Time for the Troopers to nail those kids selling food items to raise money to go on trips. Darn scofflaws!
I wonder how much his jar of
I wonder how much his jar of dog salmon will cost after he jumps through all the hoops to make it legal?
ROFL!
Good point can-carlene! I read right over the part where it said chum! $8 a jar, I don't know many people that would pay for the cost of the jar to take chum off your hands!
I guess some people need to feel like they're gainfully employed.
Fish Snobs
Don't turn your nose up at the dirty dog salmon. I've done blindfolded taste tests using fresh brite chum vs fresh coho and they is really no difference. This was with three different taste testers. Now colored up dogs in front of DIPAC is another story . . .
I agree with the regs about selling sport caught fish and crab. I do know a lot gets bartered. Here's what the regs say: "No person may buy, sell, or barter sport-caught fish or their parts". So when you have your buddy smoke (or can) your fish for you and he keeps half for his effort you are skating on thin ice.
Chum...
Is good smoked...and that's about it.
They are enforcing the laws
They are enforcing the laws that are on the books. If you don't like the law, take steps to change it.
We dog the cops for enforcing laws we don't agree with and then we dog them for not enforcing the ones we feel strongly about.
We can't have it both ways.
The guys an idiot........
..and a crook. He apparently knows the law because he has been down this road before.
Bring on the flogging team.
Oh....and CJJ, you are right; I've never made a mistake.
Untel nhow!
fireguy...
I guess to me this isn't about 'the bust'. I do find the crime utterly hilarious! By far one MOST AMUSING factor in all of this is that the Juneau Empire wrote an article about someone in Juneau, Alaska, where dog salmon die ALL OVER our beaches, who sold a small jar of chum for $8. SOMEONE CALL A COP!!!
Yea, that's front page news!
He committed the crime, he'll pay $500 or less and that's it.
Desperate for real news much?
Peeeeehew
Bah, haha. ...
Now bow down to Skirkz ya'll
Birch
I'm sorry, I didnt realize you knew him and could make judgment. You finger pointing schmuck. congrats, it will be lonely up on your high and mighty pedestal.