Welcome back everyone. Today's video comes to us from Washington state where razor clams are highly sought after. Now high demand necessitates the need for fairly specific regulations in order to help keep the population at a healthy level. Harvesters are allowed to keep 15 per person and they must keep the first 15 regardless of condition or size. This means there's absolutely no calling allowed. If you happen to find a bigger one later into your dig, you can't simply swap it out for the smaller one. You have to keep the first [music] 15. Also, harvesters are only allowed to keep them during certain days of the year and there are five major management zones listed on Washington's website. Well, an officer was patrolling a recreational dig site near Bay Avenue in Ocean Park when he spotted one harvester moving very very fast. As he watched from his patrol vehicle, he noticed he harvested eight clams in the matter of only a few minutes. He then stopped to count how many clams he had to ensure he hit the limit, walked back to his truck, [music] and seemed to leave the area in a hurry. Based on how quickly he was harvesting, how early into the low tide it was, and his apparent eagerness to leave, the officer [music] had a suspicion that he might return to the beach to collect additional clams and made note of what he was wearing. Well, the officer's suspicions were correct. About 30 minutes later, the same individual returned to the beach and began harvesting for clams again despite already having his daily bag limit. >> How's it going? >> Yeah. >> You know why I'm here? >> Huh? >> You know why I'm here? >> Uh-uh. >> One limit wasn't enough. >> was uh I was >> All right. Let me stop you there. I already know. >> Yeah. >> If you lie to me, there's going to be extra charges. >> Yes. Well, Yeah, I just got enough. I second going first time. You said I've been digging one whole season. >> Okay. >> So nice and so easy. I couldn't resist them a crabber, so >> All right. Well, I appreciate it. Well, let's walk up here real quick. >> Okay. >> You are a fast digger though. I'm going to tell you what. I was sitting right over there. >> I didn't see you. >> I saw I saw you dig. >> I didn't see nobody but but I figured I'd talk. I was only in there for 10 minutes the first time. >> All right. Well, I appreciate the honesty. I don't take anything personally. There's going to be some paperwork with this, but it's going to be less than if you were to lie to me, all right? >> All right. >> Yeah, I was sitting up there. I watched you dig like eight clams in I don't know, probably 2 minutes. >> Oh, yeah. They were thick as [ __ ] >> They're just like right next to each other, too. >> [laughter] >> I couldn't resist. I didn't think there was any cops watching. >> Uh I appreciate it. >> Okay. >> How many do you have in there? >> I think I got 14. >> Okay. >> How many is it for each clam over? >> Uh we're going to figure that out. >> I think I got to go. >> Uh I'll tell you what. It's If you would have lied to me about it, it would have been a gross misdemeanor. >> All right. Oh, yeah. >> Uh so, it's it's going to be better than that. I'll tell you that much. >> I seen you walking out here. I figured cops. Didn't look good. >> [laughter] >> Did you uh run the clams home, then? >> Yeah, I put them in my freezer, yeah. >> Okay. Got you. Well, I'll grab those for you real quick. >> use them for crab bait, so. >> Okay. Okay. >> I didn't make that yet. >> Got you. And then you got your license and ID on you? Uh let's see. 2 4 6 8 10 >> I got 12 and 1 13. >> 13. >> That would be it. Oops. I didn't like coming to the fight. >> Oh, they don't trust me with with that. >> Well, I wouldn't plan on it. I just came out with it. >> [laughter] >> When I pulled this out, it came out with it. Anyway. There it is. Pretty sure this is this year. It's the other one. >> Uh let's see. Shellfish and then your >> Yeah. >> Do you have a driver's license or ID on you? >> I got it. All right. >> All right. Thanks, sir. >> Hopefully I don't got to go to court for this. >> You ever had a ticket before, or anything like that? >> Not for any shellfish. >> Okay. >> No short crab tickets or nothing. I've been crabbing for 50 years. >> I'll hand that back to you. There's that back to you. >> But I don't know what the price of bait is again. It's expensive. I was just trying to save a couple of dollars and that didn't work out for me. >> Um There's your bag. >> All right. >> So, I want to make sure you're not like a famous poacher or something real quick. >> I'm I got a shot. I got accused of shooting at a Calwell going here about Oh. About 50 years ago, I'm not quite 45 years ago. Some guy pointed me out and I was just over there and my dad waved me over to tell me to bring your gun. Might be another one to help back it out. And uh Anyway, some guy pointed me out and was [ __ ] me Well, he must have been the one who did it. I got a confiscated my gun. I haven't hunted since. >> Did you get your gun back? >> No, yeah. I've yet to >> Okay. Okay. >> But he said something and then he comes and he goes, "Uh inconclusive, but you can still admit to you know, nice and small was nothing good that >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. Well, anyway, I So, I haven't hunted since. I just gave up. I said, "I just just you know, >> Yeah, that's no fun. >> me off. Forgot the guy's name. >> How long ago you said? Like 40 years ago or something? >> I was like 25, yeah. >> Okay. Okay. >> Yeah, 45 years ago. >> Man. >> Yeah, that's terrible. >> Right. Right. All right, give me a second. You're good to go in your truck, do whatever you got to do. >> All right, good. >> 1085 Wild Comms State Pacific. >> After returning to his vehicle, the officer asked dispatch to run the individual's name. After a short wait, they advised he had no active warrants, no recent priors, and his fishing license was active. >> Can get a non-offender in one's on one? >> All right, so what I'm going to do so I don't want to deal with them, I'm going to let you keep the first 15, okay? Normally I'd be going and >> Looking at them, yeah. >> Yeah, um, not going to do that. I I watched you count them, I saw that it was 16, I saw the one you threw back in. >> Yeah, yeah, I had to count them, I had one more in there. >> I've done that before, but yeah, but >> Okay, so yeah, give me give me a couple minutes, I'm going to scratch out a little bit of paperwork for you and I'll be right back with you, okay? >> Okay. >> All right, Mr. Sorry about the delay there. So, I'm going to explain this to you, um, it is criminal. You do have to go to court. What I did >> Hopefully not during crab season. >> which got pushed to the >> The first probably, huh? >> Yeah. >> All right. >> Bad news for everybody. Oh, good good for you? >> Yeah, well, we ain't got no crab in the bay, I think you guys have been checked. >> Oh, really? Okay. >> Yeah, it's like one crab in the lower and upper part where they you know, so >> Okay, got you. >> And small boats out there nowadays, so the crab depth there's really no fears. >> What? Do you run a boat? >> Yeah. >> Um, so what I did with this cuz you were honest with me from the get-go, I'm not counting that one I saw you throw back. If I counted that one, it'd be more than two times the limit. >> Uh-huh. >> So, I'm just doing basically it's the lesser charge from a gross misdemeanor to a misdemeanor, okay? Um, so you have court uh, December 10th. It's a Wednesday at 10:30. >> Long Beach? >> Yeah, in Long Beach. If you can't make that, generally if you give them a call, the phone number's on there, they can reschedule or work with you there. >> I'll be able to make it. >> Um, but it is a mandatory appearance. Um, so I'll hand that to you. You got any questions for me with that? >> No, no. >> Again, I appreciate the honesty, otherwise it'd be two gross misdemeanors and >> it's going to cost me, that's what I'm going to ask you that one. >> Yeah, I don't know. It's it's completely up to the court, um, on how much they apply or anything like that. >> Right. >> But, I mean, all your honesty and everything's going to be reflected in my report. So, that that helps you out there. It's better than me having to be like, "All right, man. I saw you." and all that. >> I'm not going to lie. I know how far you guys can see with them. >> Yeah, our spotting scopes are pretty good. They're really good. Yeah. When did Did you get notified today that it got pushed, crab season? Okay. Okay. >> They got still They got test results. It was like, uh >> I heard it only went up like half a percent in 2 weeks. >> it? They got to be 20 23 and they were 29.4. >> Okay. >> Last time they were like, they were they 20 >> I heard it only went up like half a percent in a couple weeks. >> Yeah, they didn't go up much. Yeah, I don't think the guys really want to go anyways with a lot of the cuz they want >> Yeah. >> I think they want to cuz the river guys, they want to close because they don't want them guys from Newport and them big slammers coming up and fishing the whole coast, you know? >> Yeah. I mean, maybe they'll just open the whole coast at once. We don't have any clips in line or anything. >> Yeah, yeah. >> Uh, and then you got your clam bag back, right? Did you take that? Okay, perfect. Awesome. All right. Well, yeah, I appreciate the honesty and, uh, yeah, I don't take anything personal. So, I'll I'll see you for crab season. Have a good one. How's it going? Doing well. I got a 14 clams that I took off somebody that I'm trying to give away. Do you guys want to dig them, dig your own, or do you want these? >> So, I'm going to be honest with one more. >> Yeah. >> Sure. >> Okay. Got you. Do you They're in my truck here, if you don't mind. >> Yeah, let's do it. No problem. I got fake shoulder just from going to surgery next month. >> Someone uh >> I got my car. I can make that easy. >> Someone went and dug 15, went and dropped them off in the freezer, then came back out and dug >> 14 more. >> Oops. >> Yeah. Oh, well, I was watching him, too. >> [laughter] >> Huh? >> No, you guys are good. I I took I took some clams off someone. I'm trying to give them away. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Yeah, I don't have any I got to get one more. >> [laughter] >> So, keep digging. >> Yeah, you better go now. >> Sweet. Thank you. >> Yep. And then, if you got your license, just take a photo of that real quick, and I'll get out of your hair. Yeah, it helps me out cuz I hate seeing things like that go to waste. >> Yeah. >> Well, enjoy them. >> All right. Thank you. Thanks very much. >> You helped me out as much as I helped you out. So, it's it's mutual. >> [laughter] >> After a short wait, they advised him that he had no active warrants, no recent priors, and his fishing license was valid. So, in the end, the harvester received one criminal violation for unlawful fishing in the second degree. He also received a warning for the same first-degree offense. While the offense certainly requires a mandatory court date, we're unfortunately unable to access any of the court records associated with this case, but I do think it's fairly obvious that the harvester knew what he was doing and did it anyways. Now, I know that people seem to think harvesting or catching their daily limit only to return later is a good strategy, but this is poaching, and these officers are on it. This is not the first case where we featured somebody doing this, and it probably won't be the last. These officers are very good at their job. They take note of everybody around them and they communicate very well with each other and at the end of the day, that is still poaching. So, please resist the temptation, take your legal limit and leave some for the others or you may end up in one of our videos. Anyways, that's it for today's video. If you like content like this, be sure to subscribe so you don't miss out on future videos and as always, thanks for watching. >> [music] [music] [music]