4 Big Island men charged with illegally taking lobsters
Department of Land and Natural Resources enforcement officers cited four Big Island men Sunday for illegally taking lobsters on the opening day of lobster fishing season.
The men, all divers, were cited for misdemeanor violations with the taking of female lobsters and eggs — which are known as roe — after DLNR officers conducted an inspection on the vessel Law and Disorder III upon its return to its slip at Kawaihae Small Boat Harbor.
According to the DLNR, the men had a total of 40 spiny lobsters. Sixteen were females, and three were with eggs. It is illegal to possess female lobsters, and there are separate charges for keeping females carrying eggs.
The divers involved and the charges against them are: Jacob Lindsay, 46, of Kailua-Kona with four counts of taking female lobsters and two counts of taking a lobster with eggs; Taylor Thronas, 45, of Waimea with four counts of taking female lobsters; Roger Hancock, 37, of Waimea with four counts of taking female lobsters; and William Merle, 35, of Waikoloa with four counts of taking female lobsters and a single count of taking a lobster with eggs.
All four men were issued criminal citations and are scheduled to appear 8:30 a.m. Oct. 1 at South Kohala District Court in Waimea.
According to DLNR, all the female lobsters were alive at the time of confiscation and returned to the ocean without incident.
