$30,000+ For Undersized Conch

Rolando Tun

It may very well be the largest fine to be imposed on a family for fisheries offenses, but this morning a father and his son along with the father’s three brothers were taken to court for the Possession of Undersized Conch. At the conclusion of the case, they were slapped with a whopping thirty thousand three hundred and twenty dollars fine to be paid by the group by June thirtieth, 2015. This is for a total of one thousand one hundred and fifty-two undersized conchs found in their possession. The first to be arraigned was thirty-six year old Demirel Tun, who had in his possession two hundred and fourteen undersized conch on February tenth, 2015 while at the Northern Fisherman Cooperative located on North Front Street.  According to Fisheries officer, Maurice Westby, who made the big bust, the individual conch did not exceed three ounces in weight.  He pleaded guilty and was five thousand three hundred and fifty dollars. His brother, thirty year old Diego Tun, was found in possession of three hundred and ninety-three undersized conch for which he was fined ten thousand one hundred and thirty dollars. Next was twenty-three year old Eli Tun, who was fined five thousand nine hundred and thirty dollars for two hundred and twenty-five undersized conch. Eli’s father, Rolando Tun, was fined three thousand one hundred and fifty dollars for one hundred and twenty-six conch, while thirty-one year old Yamir Tun has to pay the court five thousand one hundred and fifty dollars. The Tun’s are first time offenders.