Ishmael Vernon Jr, a Belize City Student, was busted with 78 undersized lobster tails on Friday by the GSU. The lobster tails were discovered in the back of a Prado in a bath pan packed in several black plastic bags. The Lobster season is closed from February 15th to June 4th and so Vernon was detained by the officers and charged with the unlawful possession of the lobsters. We found out more from Fisheries enforcement today..
Hampton Gamboa - Fisheries Supervisor, Conservation Compliance Unit
"About 1:40 this afternoon the police department gave us a call and informed us that they had an individual in their possession that they had found with quantity of lobsters in black plastics bags inside a vehicle the individual was driving. They brought the individual and the vehicle and the product over to us at the department here. Officers from our unit processed the lobster. The officers count them individually in front of the person who was found in the vehicle - that total to 78 lobster 
tail. The individual was summoned to appear in court yesterday to answer charges of possession of lobsters during the close season. Upon going into court the individual at court plead guilty to the charge. Lobster is close in the country of Belize from February 15th to the 14th June every year, so we are into a month and a half into the close season for lobster. That individual was charged in court yesterday and he was fined and penalized for a total sum of $2,065 for the possession of lobster during the close season."
Vernon appeared in court yesterday where he pleaded guilty to the charge. He was fined two thousand and sixty five dollars and if he fails to pay within a 5 month plan, he will spend a year in jail. And just to re-iterate, lobster season in Belize is closed from February 15th to June 4th.
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