Image courtesy of Michigan DNR.
In most fish and game poaching cases, the first crucial step in stopping the illegal activity is taken when a concerned citizen makes a phone call. Such was the case in May 2018 on the Detroit River in Michigan (photo above).
An angler who was fishing nearby twin brothers Benjamin and Steven Schrouder noticed the pair catching walleyes. Instead of stopping at their legal limit of five 15-inch walleyes per angler per day, however, the men kept catching — and keeping — walleyes.
Michigan conservation officers confronted the brothers, searched their coolers and found bags of fish. In their possession was 75 fresh (unfrozen) walleye fillets, as well as walleye carcasses from fish that didn’t meet the 15-inch minimum. The COs seized the walleyes and issued citations to Benjamin and Steven Schrouder for exceeding their walleye limit by 65 fish.
The Michigan twins are 54 years old. Benjamin Schrouder lives in Ada, and Steven Schrouder resides in Lowell. The brothers decided to skip their court date, so a bench warrant was issued for them. Thankfully, Michigan COs were able to find and arrest them.
Benjamin and Steven Schrouder recently pleaded guilty in 27th District Court in Wyandotte. Each was ordered to pay $2,070, which includes $700 in reimbursement for the 65 extra walleyes. In Michigan, poachers pay $10 per pound in reimbursement fees for over-the-limit fish. The brothers also had their fishing licenses revoked for 1 year.
“This is a great example of how our officers and citizens work together to protect our natural resources,” said Gary Hagler, chief of the DNR’s Law Enforcement Division. “The DNR’s Report All Poaching hotline (800-292-7800) is a critical source for people to anonymously report poachers, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Conservation officers are always available and ready to respond.”
“With the walleye river run approaching at the end of the month, we want to remind anglers to stay within their daily limits,” said Conservation Officer David Schaumburger, who was first on the scene to confront the brothers. “We also want to encourage others to report crimes such as this one. This caller saved countless fish for other anglers to legally pursue.”
Author’s note/opinion: Perhaps you think the fines ordered in this poaching case are ridiculously low, or maybe you believe the penalty of $2,070 each is about right. While that topic is debatable, I have a difficult time understanding how these two poachers (not anglers) lose their fishing licenses for only 1 year. Do I think their licenses should be revoked for a lifetime? No, because I do believe in second chances. However, having their Michigan fishing licenses revoked for 5 years, or even 10, makes a lot more sense to me. These guys didn’t make a counting error and keep 11, 12 or 13 walleyes when they should have had 10.
