Homeless man jailed for poaching a Steelhead

[MsgMills]

A 23-year-old transient was sentenced to 10 days in San Luis Obispo County Jail on Wednesday for catching and cooking a federally protected steelhead trout from San Luis Obispo Creek.
Victor Manuel Silva was convicted of illegally taking and possessing wildlife. Wildlife officials said the poaching was a blow to the species because the fish was an egg-carrying female that was killed before she had a chance to spawn.
Her eggs were strewn along the banks of the creek.

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Silva was arrested Sunday. State Department of Fish and Game Warden Teri Hickey had responded to the area as a result of a tip.
When she arrived, she found a group of three or four homeless men camped out, cooking a large fish over a fire and getting ready to eat it.
"They had slices of lemon and a loaf of sourdough bread," DFG Lt. Dean Hileman said. "It was almost a meal fit for a king."
Silva admitted catching the fish from the creek. He had no identification and was arrested. Another man in the group, who had outstanding warrants, also was arrested.
Central Coast steelhead trout are listed as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act. Fishing of any kind is prohibited in the creek.
Area streams teemed with steelhead a century ago, but habitat destruction, dams, pollution and low stream flows have reduced populations of the fish to a small fraction of their former numbers.
Various government agencies and conservation groups have spent millions of dollars rehabilitating Central Coast creeks in an attempt to improve steelhead habitat.
"Each fish really counts," Hileman said. "We are talking about a species that is so critical that some subspecies are in danger of going extinct."
Steelhead populations in Southern California are listed as endangered. They spend most of their lives in the ocean but return to coastal streams to spawn. Recent rains opened up some creeks to direct access to the ocean and steelhead are now beginning to move upstream to spawn.
The reporter can be reached at [email protected] or (805) 781-7930.

The reporter can be reached at [email protected] or (805) 781-7930.

[mhall]

A buddy and me were talking about this yesterday. ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS! The fellow was trying to stay alive and have something to eat for Heavan's sake. This country and all of it's environmental WHACK'OS like Nancy Idiot Pelosi and her band of idiot Democratic brother's are ruining this country. They'd rather save some dang rare bagworm than to save a human life. I don't know the guys story hell maybe he's just a no count useless bum, but at least he was being creative and trying to feed himself. Instead of holding up the local convenient store to steal what he needed. Dang Government would have probably took up for him then! I'm sorry I'm getting where I hate this liberal movement it makes me want to PUKE!

[Tim_T]

I am against poaching as much as anyone, but you can bet that if there were no food in the freezer and no way to get any, I would extend the modern hunting season by a few days to fed my family. I think this guy should have gotten off with a warning for first time. At least he knows he is getting fed the next 10 days.

[know1]

I definitely can see a couple of sides to that one.

[GeoFisher]

If I was starving, and more importantly, MY FAMILY was starving........you're **** straight, I'd be poaching some game species........

AND I'd have no problem blasting more than my share of out of control does.

Does that make me a bad person...........NO.........

Is it Illegal..........................................Y ES...........

Would I CARE......................................NO...... ......

Would I do it over and over again.............ABSOLUTELY........

I've never poached anything in my life, and in almost ALL cases, never would, but if it came down to it..........survival is just that.........I have plenty of outdoor skills that would allow me to put food on the table.......

Lets hope it doesn't come down to that.

Later,

Geo

[GeoFisher]

BUT on the otherhand..............

What is the difference between justifying poaching a fish, or shooting a deer, or whatever, and STEALING a loaf of bread, or some other theft.....I'm sure a thief in this situation could "justify" the actions either way.

They are both illegal activities.............

HM........

Later,

Geo

[DJD]

I say more power to the man. With the amount of stealing that our Gubment does and the Illegals do this guy was only trying to get his share. Help a brother out!

[zx150]

I find it a little odd that he had lemons with his meal. There is always more to the story than what the paper prints.

If he was truly starving then let him be. If someone steals a loaf of bread and a pack of ham to feed his family I really don't think it is a crime.

[Tom523]

A 23-year-old transient was sentenced to 10 days in San Luis Obispo County Jail on Wednesday for catching and cooking a federally protected steelhead trout from San Luis Obispo Creek.
Victor Manuel Silva was convicted of illegally taking and possessing wildlife. Wildlife officials said the poaching was a blow to the species because the fish was an egg-carrying female that was killed before she had a chance to spawn.
Her eggs were strewn along the banks of the creek.

http://m1.2mdn.net/2166587/090114_In...n_iv090104.jpg http://ad.doubleclick.net/ad/mi.frs0...ord=123456789?

Silva was arrested Sunday. State Department of Fish and Game Warden Teri Hickey had responded to the area as a result of a tip.
When she arrived, she found a group of three or four homeless men camped out, cooking a large fish over a fire and getting ready to eat it.
"They had slices of lemon and a loaf of sourdough bread," DFG Lt. Dean Hileman said. "It was almost a meal fit for a king."
Silva admitted catching the fish from the creek. He had no identification and was arrested. Another man in the group, who had outstanding warrants, also was arrested.
Central Coast steelhead trout are listed as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act. Fishing of any kind is prohibited in the creek.
Area streams teemed with steelhead a century ago, but habitat destruction, dams, pollution and low stream flows have reduced populations of the fish to a small fraction of their former numbers.
Various government agencies and conservation groups have spent millions of dollars rehabilitating Central Coast creeks in an attempt to improve steelhead habitat.
"Each fish really counts," Hileman said. "We are talking about a species that is so critical that some subspecies are in danger of going extinct."
Steelhead populations in Southern California are listed as endangered. They spend most of their lives in the ocean but return to coastal streams to spawn. Recent rains opened up some creeks to direct access to the ocean and steelhead are now beginning to move upstream to spawn.
The reporter can be reached at [email protected] or (805) 781-7930.

The reporter can be reached at [email protected] or (805) 781-7930.

He's not homeless anymore!

[MsgMills]

He's not homeless anymore!

At least not for the next 10 days...

The family and myself starving...yep Jed Clampett style I'd be goin....Hunting up some food to feed the family.....

[Devils Horse]

IMO poaching is stealing. The guy is in his early 20's and wasn't trying to feed a family, just he and his buds' faces. The story doesn't go into his circumstances, but on the face of it it's hard to sympathize him.

[mhall]

Maybe there is more to the story than meets the eye, if so shame on him, if not so be it!

If I was starving I would not steal from another person or business as they may be starving to. I instead would use my outdoor skills and take from the land what I would need to keep my family fed.

Like the Hank Jr. song says a Country Boy Can Survive!