SAXIS, Va. - A man from Saxis pleaded guilty to illegally harvesting striped bass and violating the Lacey Act on Monday.
Keith Martin, 52, was commercially licensed to harvest striped bass according to court documents, but between 2018 and 2020, Martin routinely violated Virginia state law. Martin reportedly pleaded guilty to fishing bass in excess of his quota and failing to report the amount of his harvests. He also sold striped bass to a commercial purchaser without using a certified scale, the Attorney’s Office of the Eastern District of Virginia says.
The Attorney’s Office in a statement said that Martin had a quota of 4,010 pounds of striped bass, but sold over 6,000 pounds to Maryland seafood company in 2018. Martin then sold over 4,300 pounds of the fish to the same company in 2019. In total, Martin illegally harvested and sold at least 12,663 pounds of striped bass over the relevant period, totaling almost $37,000.
Martin’s overharvesting was not only a violation of Virginia law, but transporting it across state lines put him in violation of the Lacey Act. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the Lacey Act combats the trafficking of illegally taken wildlife, fish, or plants.
Martin is set to be sentenced on October 26th and faces up to five years in prison.