Javiel Vergel and Eriel Menendez Casanas of Hialeah, Florida were arrested Friday after they were accused of taking over 400 out-of-season lobsters from Miami waters, news sources report. Vergel, 37, and Casanas, 39, were booked into the Miami-Dade County Jail on multiple charges, including, taking lobsters out of season, exceeding the per-person bag limit, taking undersized lobsters, taking an egg-bearing female, and illegally separating lobster heads from tails before coming ashore. It is unclear whether the duo qualified for bail bond. Reports did not say whether the men had hired defense lawyers.
According to reports, Vergel and Mendez were caught coming ashore on Watson Island in Miami on Friday. The men were returning from a lobster-fishing excursion, reports say. Vergel and Watson captured 468 lobsters, which they allegedly killed while at sea. Reports say lobster season runs from August 6 to March 31, making all of the defendants' catches out of season and therefore illegal.
Police reportedly caught the defendants in possession of a garbage bag and several grocery bags full of lobster tails. Among the sea creatures, officers reportedly found at least one egg-bearing female lobster and a number of undersized lobsters.
Lobsters are a delicacy and primary export of many South Florida counties. In 2010, the average price of lobster per pound was around $6.10, reports say. Fisherman in the Keys alone bring in over 5 million pounds of spiny lobster annually. Poaching can have many negative effects on the lobster population, especially when egg-bearing specimens are captured.
While some people illegally take seafood directly from the sea, one individual allegedly found a way to steal it from distributors. David Subil of Miami was arrested Thursday after he allegedly posed a seafood buyer for a cruise line to steal thousands of dollars' worth of seafood from distributors, reports say. Subil, 42, was booked into police custody on charges of grand theft and bank fraud; he has since been set free on unspecified terms. It is unclear whether he hired legal representation.