Two arrested in poaching bust

Meanus was lodged at NORCOR on charges of Commercial Fishing Closed Waters and was also cited for operating a vessel without required lighting.

Leslie was given criminal citations for commercial fishing closed waters and taking fish without tribal identification on person.

According to a press release by the Oregon State Police, the couple was taken into custody following a nighttime river patrol. Troopers were responding to numerous complaints on illegal gillnetting on the Columbia River at its confluence with the Deschutes.

The operation was conducted in conjunction with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

OSP reports that troopers located a boat operating without required lighting in the Deschutes Sanctuary that had three persons onboard.

They also discovered a gillnet of more than 1,000 feet deployed in the water in violation of restrictions.

Gillnets are prohibited in the sanctuary throughout the entire year.

In addition to the area being closed to gillnetting, the length of the net, which extended beyond the sanctuary boundary, exceeded the state maximum of 800 feet.

Meanus and Leslie, and a minor child, were taken to Celilo State Park for further investigation.

The OSP investigation found 85 Chinook salmon and one steelhead were taken, with a current market value of over $3,500.

The Oregon State Police encourages anyone witnessing, or with knowledge of fish and wildlife violations, to report it via the established tip lines: 1-800-452-7888 or *OSP (677)

A violation/suspicious activity report form can be found at www.oregon.gov, search “turn in poachers.”