Five people were cited for lobster poaching along the Palos Verdes coast, an area that the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) described as a hot spot for the activity.
The season for capturing spiny lobster is currently closed to allow the crustaceans to reproduce, making it illegal to poach them at the moment. During patrol, however, CDFW reported two different cases of lobster poaching.
In one instance, two people were seen catching lobsters in the area, with one of those individuals placing nine lobsters in bags, then hiding them in rocks. The second person had three lobsters in their possession.
In the second instance, a group of three people was seen catching lobsters. They had a total of five of them in their possession.
All five individuals were arrested and released with citations. A total of 17 lobsters, including several who were carrying eggs, were seized and returned to the ocean alive.