MINIDOKA COUNTY, Idaho — Two men who poached a 5 1/2 foot sturgeon last year have sentenced to fines and suspended jail time in the case.
Michael Dewhirst of Rupert, who pleaded guilty to possession of a sturgeon during closed season, was sentenced to 180 days suspended jail time, $315 in fines and court costs and a year of probation. Dewhirst was also ordered to pay $250 in restitution to the State of Idaho for the sturgeon.
Anthony Eaton of Heyburn, who pleaded guilty to aiding in the commission of a misdemeanor, was sentenced to 68 days suspended jail time $165 in court costs.
According to the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, the pair had poached a large sturgeon from the Snake River on the south side spillway of the Minidoka Dam in fall 2018. Dewhirst and Eaton loaded the 5 1/2 foot fish into the trunk of their car and drove away, investigators say.
There is no legal sturgeon harvest in Idaho. Although fishermen are allowed to practice catch-and-release in much of the state, they are not allowed to even remove the slow-growing fish from the water.
For more information on sturgeon fishing rules, click here.
