Maine Fisherman In Hot Water Over Illegal Lobster Possession

MAINE (CBS) --Buying a fresh lobster can be expensive, but that's nothing compared to the fines for catching the wrong kind of crustacean.

On Sunday, the Maine Marine Patrol said that while conducting lobster inspections, four egg-bearing female lobsters were found in one fisherman's catch.

Having even a single egg-bearing lobster is against the law. The fine for possessing one is $1,200 and only goes up if more than one illegal lobster is found in a catch.

"These egg bearing female lobsters are the breeders of the sea and help sustain the lobster fishery," the patrol said on Facebook. "The large fines for possessing these illegal lobsters was put in place by the lobster advisory council and industry to deter this from happening."

The patrol urges anyone who knows of a lobster "poaching ring" to call authorities or visit www.maineogt.org.