A Sitka fishing lodge is facing charges stemming from a sting operation last year.
Two undercover wildlife troopers booked a weekend at Dove Island Lodge in June of 2009. During the weekend, the troopers reported witnessing numerous fishing violations, including overfishing of king salmon, halibut, and non-pelagic rockfish.
The state has brought six counts of violations against Dove Island and 18 counts against Eric Morisky, who was captaining the fishing vessel Island Spirit, where the violations allegedly took place. Messages left on Morisky’s cell phone were not immediately returned.
The charges against Morisky also include failure to immediately record catches on the clients’ licenses, and falsifying logbooks. He’s also accused of retrieving shellfish gear while conducting a charter.
Dove Island Lodge owner Duane Lambeth, reached while on vacation, said KCAW’s phone call to him was the first he’d heard of the charges, filed last week in Sitka District Court.
Lambeth said Morisky is one of many independent contractors who run charters for Dove Island.
If convicted on the various misdemeanor charges, Dove Island could face fines into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
