A Grant County fish dealer is facing criminal charges of illegally selling intact Asian carp, Wisconsin’s most prevalent and destructive invasive species, in what state wildlife officials say is the first such case.
The fish farm operator, 36-year-old Ping Li of Platteville, was charged this month in Dane County Circuit Court with four misdemeanor counts of possessing illegal fish and one count of transporting fish without proper vehicle identification or maintaining records of who caught the fish or where they were sold.
Department of Natural Resources wardens used undercover work, surveillance and GPS trackers to crack the case, which they say stemmed from the sale of thousands of pounds of fish that can survive for days out of water.
According to the criminal complaint:
The DNR received a complaint in April 2018 that Asian Midway Foods on Park Street was selling Asian carp that may have been alive. State law requires that Asian carp be gutted or have gill coverings severed before they are transported, which the DNR says is the only way to ensure they are dead.
Wardens didn’t find any Asian carp on their first visit but were later able to purchase intact fish on seven occasions over the next year.
Through surveillance of the store they determined Li Fish Farm LLC was the supplier and attached a GPS tracking device to a company’s delivery van, which they said would pick up as much as 2,500 pounds of Asian carp in central Illinois and bring them to Chicago and Madison.
Wardens noted the refrigerated van did not carry the required markings identifying it as a fish delivery vehicle.
On July 3, 2019, wardens contacted Li as he delivered 13 intact Asian carp to Asian Midway Foods. According to the complaint, Li said he had been delivering intact bighead and grass carp a couple of times per week for about a year.
Wardens later seized Li’s records, which they said failed to account for about 28,000 pounds of fish a year over two years.
The charges against Li cover the sale of more than 7,400 pounds of fish in Madison between March 2018 and July 2019, though the agency said it may refer more allegations for charges.
Li pleaded not guilty Monday and is free on a signature bond, according to court records. Messages left with Li Fish Farm and the attorney representing Li were not returned Wednesday.
Silver carp, which can grow up to 60 pounds, are agitated by the sound of a propeller and are known for leaping out of the water, presenting hazards for boaters.
Invasive carp have been advancing north since escaping into the Mississippi River from southern fish farms in the 1970s. In some fisheries they account for more than 90% of the living organisms.
Bighead carp are considered a threat to the $7 billion Great Lakes fishing industry. Silver carp, which can weigh up to 60 pounds, are known for leaping out of the water, creating a hazard for boaters.
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September 24, 2020 at 01:30AM
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Update: charges allege Platteville fish dealer sold thousands of pounds of intact Asian carp - Madison.com
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