NEED TO KNOW
California wildlife officers spotted a woman attempting to take abalones, rare mollusks protected by state laws, during a park patrol
The woman produced two illegally taken abalone during an inspection
Officials cited her for the violations while her companion was cleared
A routine patrol at a Northern California state park took an unexpected turn over the weekend after wildlife officers discovered a woman attempting to conceal illegally harvested abalone inside her pants.
According to a Facebook post shared by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) on Thursday, Feb. 5, a wildlife officer was monitoring activity at Van Damme State Park in Little River, Calif., using a spotting scope when he observed a man and woman collecting purple sea urchins in the “intertidal zone.” During the observation, the officer noticed the woman discreetly hide what appeared to be an abalone down her pants.
Abalone is a type of mollusk or sea snail. Red abalone used to be plentiful in California waters, but saw an approximately 85% drop in population following the collapse of kelp forests in the area due to a marine heatwave in 2014. Red abalone are now heavily protected, with red abalone recreational fisheries in California set to be closed until at least 2036, per the CDFW.
Stock, Sea urchin on a rocky coast.
Getty
The officer left his observation point and contacted the pair in the park’s parking lot before they could leave. During a routine license and catch inspection, the officer asked the woman about the concealed item. She then removed a small abalone from inside her clothing, officials said.
Suspecting there may be more, the officer requested assistance from a female wildlife officer to conduct a further search. Once the process was explained, the woman then “produced a small abalone from inside her pants,” the post read, confirming the officer’s concerns.
The woman was cited for illegally taking two abalone. The male companion was found to have complied with fishing regulations and was not cited.
PEOPLE reached out to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) for further comment.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife routinely enforces strict regulations surrounding abalone, which have been largely closed to recreational harvesting in the state for years. Officials regularly remind the public that violations can result in fines, citations, and, in some cases, criminal penalties.
The agency did not release the identities of those involved.
Read the original article on People