Vivas Fined for Undersized Conch

Jaime Vivas

Twenty-nine-year-old Jaime Vivas, a fisherman of Sarteneja Village, pleaded guilty to possession of undersized conch in the courtroom of Magistrate Carlon Mendoza earlier today.  In mid-January Vivas was caught with a total of two hundred and forty-three, partially cleaned and market clean meat when fisheries officers boarded and searched the Zimira.  He has been fined two hundred dollars, plus five dollars cost of court, as well as twenty dollars per undersized conch.  That’s four thousand, eight hundred and sixty dollars, exclusive of the fine and administrative fee.  Vivas has until August eighth debt or in default he will spend six months in jail.  Incidentally, that same fishing vessel was busted once again last week and its crew was found in possession of a large quantity of undersized, filleted conch.  Forty-nine-year-old boat captain Cipriano Flores, also of Sarteneja, is accused of harvesting and preparing a hundred and eighty-nine conchs, none of which exceeded three and a half ounces in weight.  His crewmates, thirty-one-year-old Freddy Cortez, twenty-one-year-old Yadir Vargas and eighteen-year-old Ricky Teck, were also found in possession of five hundred and eighty-nine filleted conchs.  The group has been arraigned jointly and each fisherman pleaded not guilty to the amount of undersized conch claimed.  The matter has been adjourned to April fifth.