WAPELLO, Iowa - Two southeast Missouri men face 74 counts and over $43,000 in fines and civil damages for the alleged unlawful harvest of shovelnose sturgeon on the Mississippi River in Louisa County.
Robert Housman, 43, of Sikeston, Mo., was charged with 35 counts of unlawful take and possession of shovelnose sturgeon and two counts of setting entanglement gear (commercial fishing nets) in a closed zone for a total of $3,671.25 in fines. The state is also seeking $18,000 in liquidated damages from Housman.
Michael Dye, 39, of Charleston, Mo., was charged with 34 counts of unlawful take and possession of shovelnose sturgeon, two counts of setting entanglement gear (commercial fishing nets) in a closed zone, and one count of no commercial fishing license for a total of $3,772.50 in fines. The state is also seeking $18,000 in liquidated damages from Dye.
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