Rhode Island shellfish poacher convicted

July 21, 2012

Rhode Island: On July 19, Francisco P. Pacheco pleaded guilty to illegally harvesting shellfish at night from polluted waters. He was caught in 2011 by officers from the Department of Environmental Management who saw him fishing for quahogs, or hard-shell clams, in the Palmer River. Shellfishing has been banned in this river since 1996 because the pollutants in the water make the shellfish dangerous to eat. Over five bushels of clams were confiscated from Pacheco. Judge Daniel A. Procaccini of the Rhode Island Superior Court put Pacheco on probation, suspended his license, and ordered 400 hours of community service.