Contact: Harry Morse, DFG Office of Communications, (916) 651-1173 Marty Gingras, Bay Delta Region Supervising Biologist, (209) 948-7800

Department of Fish and Game (DFG) wardens arrested six suspects Friday night, thwarting an alleged illegal white Sturgeon meat and caviar sales operation. Arrests and searches were carried out in Sacramento and San Francisco involving 30 wardens from DFG.
"The illegal commercialization of white sturgeon in the Sacramento area is a serious concern," said DFG Assistant Chief of Enforcement Tony Warrington, who headed up the investigation, called Operation Egg Sack. "During the month we investigated these suspects a considerable amount of illegal product changed hands. Once all the pieces in the case came together, we moved quickly to stop the illegal take of mature spawning sturgeon."
The investigation began in early February after citizens alerted wardens that several anglers were taking multiple sturgeons daily out of the Sacramento River. DFG's Special Operations Unit (SOU) was notified and worked with the Delta Bay Enhanced Enforcement Patrol team and local wardens to investigate the poaching operation.
Charged and arrested for conspiracy to illegally take and purchase or sell sturgeon, sturgeon roe and caviar were Inna Prokopchuk, 36, and Igor Prokopchuk, 36, of Antelope, Su Fou Saechao, 19, and Chung Phan, 57, of Sacramento and Vitaly Pikarevich, 30, and Yuliy Berlaga, 66, of San Francisco.
DFG's investigation led from the anglers who poached the sturgeon to suspected processors and buyers. Berlaga reportedly bought the finished product and is charged with selling it. Sturgeon is mostly poached for caviar, the processed "roe" (eggs) of the fish.
Prosecution of all six suspects is pending in Sacramento County. Saechao, who is awaiting trial for attempted murder in Yolo County, was also charged as a convicted felon in possession of a firearm found during his arrest.
Felony conspiracy to illegally take sturgeon is subject to a maximum fine of $15,000 and three years in state prison.
"During the investigation and surveillance period, Pikarevech was observed on three occasions picking up loads of caviar weighing up to 50 pounds and transporting it to Berlaga in San Francisco," Lt. Kathy Ponting of the SOU said.
SOU typically targets sturgeon poaching operations during winter and spring migrations when spawning fish are most vulnerable. This is the fifth major sturgeon poaching operation conducted by DFG since May 2003. In 2006 a coordinated abalone and sturgeon operation accounted for the arrests of 20 people in one of the most extensive sturgeon and abalone poaching busts in California history. In May 2005, DFG officers arrested 9 suspects in Sacramento and San Francisco shutting down two illegal white sturgeon caviar peddling operations. In May 2003, DFG officers arrested 22 suspects in Sacramento, culminating a two-year joint state and federal investigation that included Oregon and Washington.
White sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) is a fish species indigenous to the Sacramento River in California, and the Columbia River in Washington. California does not allow for the commercial catch or sale of white sturgeon.
"Sturgeon can be easily over-exploited because they mature late, spawn infrequently and are dependent on good environmental conditions," said Marty Gingras, Supervising Fisheries Biologist Bay Delta Region. "The current abundance of adult white sturgeon in California is thought to be the lowest in decades and the federal government declared green sturgeon 'threatened' under the Federal Endangered Species Act."
New protective regulations on the sport fishery for sturgeon were implemented March 1, 2007 in response to concern about the status of green sturgeon and white sturgeon. These regulations require all sturgeon anglers to have a sturgeon report card, provided at no charge, and limit daily catch to one white sturgeon between 46 and 66 inches per day and three per year. Green sturgeon may not be taken or possessed.
Investigations are often the direct result of lawful anglers giving their local wardens and the CalTIP program information about poachers who blatantly disregard regulations imposed to protect natural resources. Contact the 1-888-DFG-CALTIP number to report poachers and polluters. Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward.

For further assistance, contact the DFG Office of Public Affairs http://www.dfg.ca.gov/news/contact.html