Countywide : Fish, Game Panel May Fund Prosecutor

The Ventura County Fish and Game Commission is considering a funding proposal that would allow the county to hire a lawyer to resume full prosecution of fish and game violations.

The commission has scheduled a special April 28 meeting on the proposal, which it endorsed in concept Thursday.

The commission’s vote will be forwarded to the County Board of Supervisors, which makes the final decision on the proposal by the district attorney’s office.

Frank Anderson, Channel Islands harbor manager and commission secretary, said he was “cautiously optimistic” that the commission would ultimately recommend approval of the proposal.

Since mid-1991, the district attorney’s office has declined to prosecute many misdemeanor fish and game violations because of a lack of funds.

In December, the commission, worried that a drop in prosecution would deplete wildlife resources, asked county officials to reconsider the policy.

Under the proposal, a prosecutor would be hired using $25,000 from the county’s Fish and Wildlife Propagation Fund, which draws money from fines imposed on violators.

To supplement that amount, a statewide organization of fishermen has pledged more money, possibly $20,000, said Deputy Dist. Atty. Don Coleman.

The new prosecutor, who could be hired by July, would handle criminal and civil fish and game offenses, including environmental cases.