Settlement reached in illegal commercial fishing case
A civil settlement has been reached with multiple defendants related to illegal commercial fishing in marine protected areas off the coast of Santa Barbara Island.
Santa Barbara County District Attorney John Savrnoch announced the settlement June 1.
Under the resolution of the case, the defendants were ordered to pay hefty fines for violating California’s commercial fishing and false advertising laws.
Savrnoch said defendants Conner Mitchell, Taylor Grant and Cody Martin engaged in illegal commercial fishing in 2020 and 2021, including fishing in marine protected areas off the coast of Santa Barbara Island.
Other defendants in the case are Dudley Street Oyster Bar in the Venice section of Los Angeles, and Shark Bite Fish Co.
Mitchell and Grant managed Dudley Market through the California business entities Dudley Street Oyster Bar and Shark Bite Fish Co.
Savrnoch said Mitchell and Grant sold the fish at Dudley Market.
The seafood was falsely advertised as traceable, sustainable, and lawfully sourced, he said.
The case was resolved under California’s unfair competition law.
The case was brought by the district attorney’s offices of Santa Barbara and Los Angeles counties, and the Los Angeles City Attorney’s office.
