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State Crackdown Nets Fish Dealers

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By MIKE SALINERO | The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 26, 2007

TAMPA - State wildlife agents arrested four Tampa fish dealers and charged them with violations stemming from the illegal sale and purchase of freshwater and saltwater fish.

Agents with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission received a tip that a loose association of dealers was buying and selling fish illegally. During a four-month investigation beginning May 31, the agents went undercover, buying and selling specially marked fish.

"The FWC targets these types of violators to prevent the proliferation of a black market trade that could have serious effects on local fish populations," said Capt. Andy Krause, investigations supervisor, in a news release.

Arrested were:

•Adam Carl Brooks, 43, of 3824 51st St., Tampa. Brooks, owner of the Little Fish Hut at 5005 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., was charged with two felony counts of scheme to defraud and 11 misdemeanors. The charges related to buying freshwater fish from an unlicensed person, unlawful sale of freshwater fish, and possession of a black bass less than 14 inches in length.

•Christa Cannon, 35, 2109 W. St. John St., Tampa. An employee of Friendly Fish Market at 3313 North Bay St., Cannon was cited for two misdemeanor violations for unlawful purchase of saltwater fish and failure to keep required records on saltwater products.

•Wen Rong Bao, 48, 8428 Fenwick Ave. Bao, manager of the MD Oriental Market at 1106 E. Fowler Ave., was cited for unlawful purchase of saltwater fish products and not having a current freshwater fish dealer's license.

•Thinh Xuan Nguyen, 54, 4708 Cresson Court, Tampa. Nguyen, manager of the Lien Hoa Oriental Market at 3692 Waters Ave, was cited for not having a saltwater products retail license or a freshwater fish dealer's license.

Freshwater game fish bought and sold were largemouth bass, shellcracker, warmouth, speckled perch and bluegill. Some of the largemouth bass were purposely undersized, according to the release.
Most freshwater fish are illegal to buy or sell, no matter what the size. Nongame freshwater species, such as tilapia, mudfish and catfish, may be sold with the proper licenses.

The agents sold saltwater species including red grouper, mullet, sheepshead and sand perch. Those purchases were violations because the undercover investigators did not have licenses.

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