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Welcome back everyone. Today's video comes to us from Washington State where smelts have a 10 lb per person daily bag limit. If you've lived in Florida your whole life, you might be wondering what a smelt is. Well, it's a smaller fish that typically measures between 6 and 12 in in length. Smelt live in both freshwater and saltwater and migrate up rivers and streams each spring [music] to spawn. They're known to taste mild, oily, with a delicate flavor, and apparently they smell like cucumber. Now, heavy fishing and poaching has led to very short fishing seasons. In fact, it's very common for the season to only be open from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. for one single day. Now, with the heavy poaching in mind, it's pretty common for Washington State officers to seize hundreds, if not thousands of [music] pounds of fish from people being way over limit. Now, that's no different in this video because the officers with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife received a report from a concerned citizen about a group of individuals being well in excess of the daily bag limit. The reporting party sent photographs to the officers along with a vehicle description, tag, and location. [music] As indicated by the reporting party, the vehicle was located at a Target in Kelso, Washington. [music] In fact, they actually had momentary possession of one of Target's shopping carts to [music] assist them in hauling the fish to their vehicle. Using the information provided to them by the reporting party, the officers were able to locate the vehicle and waited nearby to make contact. While the officers didn't have to wait long because they saw the group leaving the red lobster that's seen in the background of the photographs. >> Hey, >> hello. >> Hello. >> How's it going? >> Yeah, oh, did you park somewhere else? >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> We're at Fish and Wildlife Police. Oh, hold on for a second. Um, we're with Fish and Wildlife Police. Um, just to let you know, I have my body cam turned on. Um, how' you do smelting? >> Huh? Smelt the fish. Yeah. >> How'd you do? >> Can we see the smell? >> Oh, >> the >> fish. The fish. >> Yes. >> Hi there. >> Officer Meltz with Fish and Wildlife Police. >> Can you speak English? No English. >> Okay. We're going to look at your fish. Your smelt. >> The smelt. You some fish you have in the back. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. We need to see them. >> Oh. Make sure that all the limits are proper because we saw a bunch of stuff going in here and then you went in here. So, we didn't want to disturb your lunch. >> Can the fish? >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Okay. >> Yeah. And and for fish. Okay. >> Huh? >> Oh, no. Do you have your licenses and Okay, perfect. >> Yeah. >> Oh, thank you. >> How many do you have? How much? >> Huh? >> How much smoke? >> Say I don't know. I don't know. You say >> we don't know how much. >> Okay. Do you know uh what the limit is? >> Uh-uh. >> No. >> My first time at all. >> Okay. You have your Oh, can I see your license again? >> Okay. fishing license. >> Nobody speaks English. >> No. >> What language? >> I speak little bit. Not too much. >> Not too much. >> Not too much. Yeah. >> But what language do you speak? >> I speak Chinese. >> Chinese. Okay. >> Yeah. Not too much. >> Do you know how much 10bs is? >> I don't know. >> I don't. >> Yeah. Sorry. >> A little bit. >> A little bit. Sorry. >> Does everybody Does everybody have a fishing license? >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I need to see that. >> Can I see all the >> the smell? >> Yeah, just a little bit. Yeah, I think more than a little bit. >> Okay. More than a little bit. >> Sorry. Sorry. Okay. Sorry. Just first stop. >> Okay. Can I see? >> Okay. >> Can Can you pull out all the the smell, please? >> Hello. >> Do you have a fishing license? I think you got too much. >> Do you have a fishing license? >> I think I think sorry I think we more >> because we feel first I happy life but I don't know how how how much. >> Okay. >> Sorry. >> Oh, thank you. Do you have one? >> You don't. Do you have a fishing license? >> No. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> I need to weigh them. >> Oh, I need to weigh to see how much you have. You It looks like you have too many. Four people. >> Yeah. >> Well, three licenses. >> Okay. So, you're only allowed 10 lbs per person. Okay, I'm going to show you what 10 lbs is. Okay. >> Oh, and I'll adjust for the scale, the bucket and everything, but that >> see that's 16 lbs. >> Oh my god. >> So, you're you're over a little bit over limit right here. Just just that bag. That's one person. >> Oh, >> yeah. >> Sorry. >> I'm sure you're sorry, but we're going to weigh all of them. Okay. >> Huh? >> We're going to weigh all of them. Is the cooler full? >> Uh, not full, but it does have fish in it. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> I'm going to pull my truck up. >> Okay. Just so I can work like at a tailgate a little bit more. Can you bring >> Can you bring this out? >> I can carry over 10 pound. My friend my heart. >> Okay. Okay. Yeah. Don't [laughter] Can you so we can uh inspect the the smell. Where are you from? >> Yeah. >> Vietnam. >> Uh, well, you don't live in Vietnam now. Where are you from now? >> Seattle. Okay. >> No. No. I saw it, guys. So, okay, listen. So, real quick, real real quick. You have four people. >> Uh-huh. >> Only three fishing licenses, right? Three people have fishing licenses. That allows you to get 30 lbs. Okay. You are grossly over limit. Like way too many. >> Way too many. >> Way too many. Like to the point where you could be taken to jail for it criminally. This is not this is not a little amount of fish. Does that make sense? So, we're gonna weigh everything, okay? And we're gonna decide how to proceed from there. Okay? But there will be some fines associated with this. Does that make sense? >> Uh, I don't know. Okay. >> Well, I that's my first time I go. I I don't do I don't do nothing because I want to see it. >> Yeah. Well, who's I mean, >> you have to know how much you can get, right? >> And this is way too many. >> But but you're happy. >> What? I mean, I know. I know how it goes, but that's >> that's too much. >> I know. So, >> we're going to What we're going to do is we're going to un undo these bags. And I'm probably not going to be too careful about most of them because >> um we're going to be taking a lot of these fish. on. >> Does that make sense? We're going to be we're going to be seizing a lot of this fish. >> Take it. You take it. Yeah. Take it. Okay. >> So, got got fish in it. Yeah. >> No, these are all the garbage. >> Yeah, you take all >> this bucket. I think one of these buckets is mine. >> Which >> is this got holes on the bottom? >> Okay. >> Okay. I'm going to go ahead and fill them. Let it drain a little. It might drain better on >> Well, I haven't waited yet. I'm going to fill two So, let's go. 22. >> 22. Okay. >> 28. >> 28. >> Might as well start filling that. >> Too many. You're going to be here a few minutes. >> What are you going to do with all of them? >> We give to the fan. You know >> friends? Yeah. You need to tell the your friends to come with you and bring a license. >> No, they don't have time. They have to go to work. >> Oh god. >> I don't work today. That's why I'm coming. Well, Oh snap. Got crazy over little You're a little bit over. So these are all your your four all four of you. Caught all these. Okay. No, but today I looked. I don't do nothing. >> You You didn't do anything? No. >> Okay. >> Did you have anybody else with you? >> Were there other people with you that have left? >> Yeah, they left. >> Who? How many? >> I think two. >> Two others. And they headed home. >> They got to go to work. >> They were in a different car. >> Yeah. >> You are you in a different car than this car? >> No, this car. >> You guys are all in this car? Yeah. >> Where were you going when you said you had a car over there? >> What car? >> Well, somebody said that they were in a different vehicle. >> Yeah, you the woman was walking that way toward another car. No, everybody drove in this. >> Okay. >> Interesting. >> You saw what I saw, didn't you? >> Yes. >> Go another 28. >> 28. Let that drain a little bit off the side. Another 28. 26. Am I maybe my button's frozen? >> Huh? I answered status like 10 minutes ago. >> Yes. >> 30. 22. 27 >> 27 >> 24 >> or we probably This is it. >> That's So we need >> I'm just going to weigh them all. >> Figure out what we got. >> Gotcha. 15. All right. Where are we at with IDs and licenses? Do we get anything? >> I just got three licenses. The driver does not or three fishing licenses. The driver does not have a fishing license. >> All right. So, >> no license. No fishing license with the driver, right? >> Yes. He's he he's he's just driver. >> He's just your driver. So he didn't come here to participate in the fishery. Just drive you, right? >> Right. Okay. So when you have a fishing license, you are allowed to have 10 lbs PE each. >> Okay. >> So fishing license, >> fishing license, >> fishing license, >> 30 lb. Okay. >> Okay. Currently, in a minute, he's going to tell you how many pounds you have. >> 250. >> You have 250 lbs of smell. >> Sorry. >> So, we're 220 lb over the limit. >> Oh, limit. >> Which is a lot. >> Okay. Sorry. >> That's a lot. >> This is first stop. >> I just have to stop and ask. With 250 lbs of smelt, does anyone actually believe that this was their first time fishing for smelt? Let us know in the comments down below. >> Well, I understand it might be your first time, but >> Yeah. Yeah. First time. >> You have It doesn't matter. >> After two year, I come in. >> I come in. Nothing. >> I know, but it doesn't matter. >> Oh, I should have been. >> I But yeah, >> I understand it gets a little hectic and it gets like fun and you're like getting fish and you're like you can't >> But you only can take >> what's fair. >> Think about if everybody else took 220 lbs more than they should. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's my fault. Too >> bad, right? I know. I know. I know. I know. >> Okay. So, are you guys married? >> No. >> Single. We are coworker. >> Co-orker. >> Yeah. >> This is your car. >> Yeah. >> Who's the person driving? How are they related? Are they related to you? Not a co-orker. Son? >> No. Co-work. >> All co-workers. >> The person in the back. >> Yeah. >> Co-orker. >> Friend. >> Friend. six. >> Yeah. >> So, we're looking at a situation where obviously you guys if the ones with licenses we could easily say are over limit, right? You have too many because this person doesn't have a license. Are you saying that they didn't participate in the fishery? >> She says come in. No, he's a driver. >> Driver. >> So So now >> I want because so far I don't want to drive. >> I got it. Okay. So driver is not someone who was trying to get a limit of smell. Just you three. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> Does that make sense? All right. >> So I'm going to need to see your ID, driver's license, driver's license, and the person in the back's driver's license. Thank you. Is everything current on your driver's license? 73rd Lane South. That's current. Mhm. >> Okay. And for how do you pronounce your uh first name? Okay. I need that person's ID. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> My sister. >> That's your sister? Yeah. Okay. >> Hi. >> Oh, we got trouble. Sorry. >> So, yeah, you're in trouble. >> Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. That's >> Have you ever had a ticket before for fish and wildlife? >> No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. Never. >> Never. >> Never. Do you do you guys fish up north? >> No. >> No, you don't fish. Do you clam? >> No. Never. >> You shrimp? No, never. >> Nothing ever. Yeah. So, >> well, then you have to pay attention to the rules better, >> right? >> Because I get the the the the license for yesterday. >> Yeah. >> Well, I understand. At least you did that part, right? >> My friend, she she told me, "Oh, I like the fish because I come in here already." But nothing. >> Yes, I know. Sometimes the fishery the fish are supposed to show up but they don't. >> I know. I know. I understand. But this time I saw Oh, a lot happy. >> Yeah, you got happy but you got a little [laughter] >> Sorry. I I I I get up 6:00 coming. >> Yeah, I know. I got up at 6:00 too. >> So far, but I had to like the fish. You are allowed this. These are going to be theirs, right? >> Yep. That's 30. >> So, I'm going to give you 30 lbs of fish. These because you're licensed, you're allowed 10 lbs each. This will be 30 lb. 10 10. Where do you want me to put them? In that cooler. >> Yeah. >> Sorry. >> No, no. I'll get it. >> No need for you to get messy. >> You're so nice. >> Okay. >> You're okay with just going right in? >> Yeah. >> Okay. Okay, there. Oops. Got some sneakers in there. >> He's so happy. I got Oh, I I eat that. Your mask is so long. Oh. Oh, I can come eat eat a little bit. >> Yeah, I know. You got one sneaking in there. Okay. So, given the amount given the amount you guys are over, it actually could be a criminal citation. Okay. that you could be having to come back here to court and everything because of that. So, you need I'm I'm not saying that's the way we're going to do it, but you need to pay very close attention to the rules when you go fishing somewhere or do this. Whenever you travel out of the area, like when I go to Oregon, I'm not an Oregon resident. I got to buy an Oregon license. I need to follow Oregon's rules, right? And I need to be very careful about how I do my business because I don't want to get in trouble. You need to do the same thing here. >> Yeah, I learn I learn how to listen now. I learn how to do >> Yeah, you need to really find out better now. >> I don't know. I I don't know who the two other people were were with you. I don't know who that is. >> You said there were two others down here. I don't know who that those are. >> Early. >> Did they Did they leave with fish? >> I don't know. Say I come over here. They say he leaving now. No, I don't see somebody told me on a Wednesday they come in here. They said, "Oh, not not not uh not too much people." You >> No, I understand that. But today, did you come with other people? >> No, my own car. >> We're in my phone car. It's phone call. >> So, you're all in this car. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> Why? When we first got here, why were you and you headed that direction? You One of you guys said you're in a different car. You don't have a different car here. No, >> you guys all rode here. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> It was just It was just weird. I didn't >> I don't lie. I just saw >> I'm not saying you were lying. I'm just saying it was different because you looked like you were walking somewhere else. Okay. >> No, no, no. >> All that is yours. I don't care what you do with it, but that's your garbage essentially. >> All right. Let me talk to Sergeant Kim here. We're going to talk for a minute in the truck. I'm taking these to document. We're going to decide what to do. I'm going to turn my truck around and just kind of face you for a second so you can sit inside and I'll contact you in a minute. Okay. >> Okay. Okay. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you. >> I learned a lot the rule. >> Yeah. Can I come in? >> Just don't leave. >> I don't I don't leave. >> Okay. >> Hello. >> I want to uh Can you roll the window down in the back? >> Huh? >> Can you roll that window down? Hold on. No, no. >> Roll the window down so I can talk to her, too. >> Oh, whatever. That works, too. Okay, you can stay there. You're good. >> Okay. >> Okay. Here's what's going to happen. Do Do are are you going to be able to understand me? Okay. Or do you want me to do it translate? And >> it's okay. >> You're okay. Okay. >> So, we're being very generous. and how we're handling this. Okay. >> Yeah. >> Because the gross over limit that you guys possess, it could be criminal and you would have to come back to Kelso in, you know, two weeks for court. We're not we're not making you do that. We're not making you do that. Okay. >> Yeah. We're not making you do that. Okay. This this way it's a civil penalty. Basically, you you're going to be issued a ticket for a fine. It's a fine. It's a $179 ticket >> each person. >> Each person. >> Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> One, two, three. Okay. You will have that's going to come to your house in the mail. I'm not giving it to you right now. It's going to come to in your mail. When you get it in the mail, you will have 33 days to take care of it. Okay. In the upper right hand corner of the the piece of paper you get will be your options on how you may take care of it. One is to pay it. You can pay it and be done with it. You can mitigate it or contest it. Mitigate means, "Yeah, I did it, but here's what happened." Contest is like, "No way. I didn't do it." Okay? If you check one of those two boxes, you want to mail the ticket back to the court and they would give you a hearing date where you would have to come down here. Okay, those are your three options. Okay, you can call the court on the phone number that's on the ticket and discuss the situation over the phone, too. And if you decide to pay it, they may take your payment over the phone as well. You that might be an option. Okay. >> Yeah. >> But each one of you being cited $179 for over limit instead of a a misdemeanor, which is a crime. instead of being charged with a misdemeanor in the state of Washington where you you'd be a criminal for taking too many fish. >> Not good, right? >> Not good. Not good. I know. I know. >> Does that make sense? You understand what I just explained to you? >> Yes. >> Okay. >> That's fair. That's fair. I know. That's fair. >> On the ticket when I fill it out, would you like me to check Chinese interpreter just in case? >> No, we we we pay it though. >> That's That's on you if you decide to do that. Okay. Okay. >> So, you are free to go, my friend. >> You can. Yep. You can go next time. I think you were the ring leader here, >> huh? >> I think you were the ring leader. I think you were in charge, >> weren't you? >> Were you telling him what to Were you telling him? Were you telling him what to do? >> You got too much. >> You got too happy. You got TOO HAPPY. >> I KNOW. I TOO happy because two year I come in two year. >> I know. You came and you got nothing. I I I so heavy. >> Yes. >> But I forgot anything. >> But you have to stop at 10 lbs. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Yeah. All right. We good. >> Next time. >> Next time, >> bring a bucket and a scale like that. >> Yeah. I have had to I go to >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> All right. See you later. >> Thank you. >> All right. So, as you saw, the group was well in excess of their daily bag limit with 250 lbs of smelt. As a reminder, the daily bag limit was only 30 lbs total between the three anglers, leaving them 220 lbs over limit. Now, in my opinion, this level of poaching should lead to an automatic arrest and seizure of all associated fishing gear. While all three could have received criminal charges for these violations, the officers decided to use discretion. Instead of a criminal charge, the officers decided to issue each individual with a noncriminal infraction for being in excess of the daily smell limit. as they received a noncriminal infraction. This means they can essentially pay their fines and go about their day without any other real consequences. With Washington having limited online court records were unable to verify if these fines were paid. Anyways, that's it for today's video. Let us know what you think down in the comments below. If you like fish and wildlife content, be sure to check out our other channel that focuses exclusively on content just like this. As always, thanks for watching. Heat.

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