NORWALK, CT — A 61-year-old man turned himself in to police after being accused of illegally harvesting shellfish from restricted recreational beds.
Michael Oravez, of Norwalk, was arrested Nov. 7 on charges of second-degree larceny and violation of shellfish regulations.
The Norwalk Police Department Marine Unit began investigating Oct. 27 after receiving a complaint about a large commercial shellfishing vessel suspected of illegally harvesting shellfish on the city’s recreational shellfishing beds.
Officers responded to the area and observed a fishing vessel actively working the recreational grounds from shore, witnessing multiple loads of shellfish being harvested and dumped onto the vessel’s deck.
Officers deployed the Marine Unit vessel and continued to observe the dredging activity on the recreation beds.
Upon approaching the vessel, officers identified the operator as Oravez, who had previously been issued a citation for the same type of activity.
Officers confirmed the boat’s location using GPS coordinates and coordinated with the Connecticut Bureau of Aquaculture and Laboratory Services, which verified the harvesting was occurring within the city’s restricted beds.
Officers later determined that Oravez sold the illegally harvested clams to a local supplier and falsely reported the harvest location as an authorized commercial area.
Following the investigation, officers applied for and were granted an arrest warrant for Oravez by the Stamford Superior Court.
Oravez turned himself in at Norwalk Police Headquarters, where he was processed on the charges.
He was released on $7,500 bond and is scheduled to appear in court Nov. 21.
