Tulalip fish and game wildlife director busted for poaching.

[Knocker of rocks]

POACHING!!!!! Confused, I didn't think tribal members could get arrested by Wa State Gamies for Poaching.

I don't think they were

Hatch and his son, Joseph Jr., were arrested late last month and booked into the Snohomish County Jail on suspicion of felony shellfish trafficking.

[bigtex]

The Tulalip Tribe has one of the best fish and wildlife enforcement programs for a tribe in the state and I think it comes down to how it's ran. Most tribes (almost all) the game wardens work for the fish and wildlife program, not the Tulalip Tribes. For Tulalip the game wardens are apart of the Tulalip Tribal Police which is a highly respected tribal LE agency not only in WA but across the country. They are also deputized by the Snohomish County Sheriff to enforce laws against non-tribal members. Because they are actually apart of an actual LE agency I think it is why the Tulalip tribal game warden - WDFW LE relationship is good. It sounds like this individual was not an Tulalip Tribal game warden but the individual who ran the fish and wildlife department for the tribe.

[Tbar]

The apologists will be here shortly...

Who are the apologists?

[jackmaster]

Cenci is just trying to grand stand, glad they busted these guys but cenci could have made alot bigger busts in the past..

[syoungs]

the wdfw should make some kind of big sting operation, sending officers undercover for a couple of years, to really get to the root of the trafficking, make sure to get all the buyers, suppliers, sellers etc. then they can go do 1 large bust all in the same day to take out everyone!

oh wait....

[Stein]

Man, the guy should get what he deserved although I do admire a guy who can catch and sell shrimp or crab at $6/pound and profit.

[PlateauNDN]

Sounds like 2 governments worked together to stop those that violated laws on both sides. 

[Dan-o]

Agreed.

Looks like good cooperation all the way around.

[Wetwoodshunter]

Man, the guy should get what he deserved although I do admire a guy who can catch and sell shrimp or crab at $6/pound and profit.

$6 a pound for crab ex-vessel is a great price.

I love that fact that Mike made this bust and that Lee was involved. This is not the first time that Lee has done something like this and got caught. He has been banned from buying fish at quite a few locations.

[Special T]

the wdfw should make some kind of big sting operation, sending officers undercover for a couple of years, to really get to the root of the trafficking, make sure to get all the buyers, suppliers, sellers etc. then they can go do 1 large bust all in the same day to take out everyone!

oh wait....

LOL! I was thinking the same thing?

[Gringo31]

It's definitely unfortunate.


Seems like this individual was a shady guy.  Between the poaching and possession of stolen property, it would surprise me that that risky behavior was a surprise to those that knew him and that those incharge would be willing to take that risk of having him in that position.   

[Dhoey07]

I just read about this today