Officials Bust Restaurants for Buying Illegal Fish

MELBOURNE, Fla. (AP) — Some central Florida restaurant owners are in hot water for purchasing black market fish.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said Thursday 17 restaurant owners and workers face charges or citations for purchasing the illegal fish.

Wildlife officers went to the restaurants in Brevard and Indian River counties as part of an undercover sting.

The undercover agents, posing as fish salespeople, told the restaurant owners and workers that they didn’t have the proper licenses to sell the fish. Out of the 44 restaurants tested in the sting, 11 restaurants purchased the fish anyway.

The charges are second-degree misdemeanors. The maximum sentence that can be given for each charge is 60 days in jail and a $500 fine.

Source: Associated Press