A fishing inspection led officers to anglers over the rockfish limit using illegal bait and failing to record their catch.

A routine wildlife patrol in Alaska’s Prince William Sound turned into a much larger enforcement case after troopers boarded a fishing boat and found two anglers with more non-pelagic rockfish than the law allowed, along with illegal bait and other fishing violations.

According to the WildlifeWarden video, Alaska wildlife troopers encountered the men on July 31, 2025, aboard a 30-foot KingFisher and began what first appeared to be a standard inspection of licenses, equipment, and catch.

The officers soon discovered 10 non-pelagic rockfish on the boat, including several yelloweye rockfish, even though each fisherman was allowed to possess only one non-pelagic rockfish.

The final citations also included using rockfish as bait, failing to record a shrimp harvest, and not having a required deep-water release device on board.

Troopers Board the Fishing Boat

Body-camera footage showed officers approaching the vessel and asking one of the anglers to reel in a fishing line so the patrol boat could tie alongside safely.

One man appeared to move toward the edge of the boat, prompting an officer to tell him to stay where he was and allow the trooper to board instead.

“Go get back in your boat,” the officer said before climbing aboard.

The two anglers identified themselves as Song Hong and Dong Kim. They told the troopers there were only two people on board, although part of the conversation was slowed by a language barrier.

The officers remained patient and began checking identification before asking where the fishermen had stored their catch.

At first glance, the boat held a wide mix of fish, including flounder, sculpin, Pacific cod, salmon, and several kinds of rockfish.

A Simple Count Reveals a Major Problem

The troopers asked to inspect coolers, bags, and a fish hold beneath the deck.

As the fish were removed and sorted, one officer explained that he needed to count them because different species carried different daily and possession limits.

The fishermen initially appeared to believe they could keep five rockfish each.

“Maybe five,” one of them answered when asked about the limit.

The trooper corrected him, explaining that the limit was three rockfish per person, but only one could be non-pelagic.

That distinction quickly became important because nearly all the rockfish on the boat fell into the more restricted category.

The officer identified several species, including yelloweye, China, quillback, silvergray, and canary rockfish.

“One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten,” the trooper counted.

He then told the men they had 10 non-pelagic rockfish aboard when they were allowed only one each.

The scale of the overage made this more than a small misunderstanding. Even if the men had confused the total rockfish limit, the number and variety of restricted fish showed why reading the current rules before leaving the dock matters.

Yelloweye Rockfish Add Another Violation

The officers paid particular attention to the yelloweye rockfish.

Each angler was allowed only one yelloweye, but the boat held six, according to the count heard during the inspection.

The troopers also tried to determine when the fish had been caught, because daily and possession limits can apply differently depending on how long anglers have been fishing.

The men first gave unclear answers before saying some fish were caught the previous day and others that day.

“Half and half,” one fisherman said.

The officer explained that the possession limit for non-pelagic rockfish was still only one per person, regardless of whether the fish had been caught across two days.

This part of the inspection showed how fishing rules can become complicated, but the responsibility still falls on anglers to understand them. A second day on the water does not automatically double every possession limit, especially for slow-growing species with tighter protections.

Rockfish Were Also Being Used as Bait

The inspection became more serious when officers looked at the bait attached to fishing gear.

The fishermen said they had used sockeye salmon from the Kasilof area as bait, which the trooper said was not allowed under the sport-fishing rules described during the stop.

The officer also discovered that part of a China rockfish had been used as bait.

“Are they using that for bait?” one trooper asked.

The men confirmed that rockfish had been cut and used on their hooks.

The officer responded, “You guys, we got quite a few issues we need to handle here.”

Using a regulated game fish as bait can create an additional violation beyond simply keeping too many. It also makes enforcement harder because parts of the catch may be cut, discarded, or no longer easy to identify.

The body-camera footage suggested the officers were trying to establish exactly what had been caught, what had been used as bait, and what remained on board.

Missing Equipment and Unrecorded Harvest

The troopers then asked whether the boat carried a deep-water release mechanism for rockfish.

Such a device is required because rockfish brought up from deep water can suffer pressure-related injuries. A release tool helps return unwanted fish to depth, giving them a better chance of survival.

The anglers did not have one on board.

The WildlifeWarden narrator later reported that Song Hong was also cited for failing to record his shrimp harvest.

Recording requirements may seem minor compared with possession limits, but they serve an important role in fisheries management. Accurate records help officials track how many fish or shellfish are being taken and whether harvest levels remain sustainable.

When catches go unrecorded, regulators lose part of the information used to manage future seasons and limits.

Eight Fish Seized as Evidence

Once the officers completed the count, they informed the men that citations would be issued and that they could not keep all the fish.

Each angler was allowed to select one non-pelagic rockfish to retain.

The remaining eight over-limit fish were seized as evidence.

The officer tried to keep the process understandable, showing the men which fish they could keep and explaining why the rest had to be taken.

“You pretty much had one of everything,” the trooper remarked while looking over the variety of species.

The seized fish were later donated to charity, according to the WildlifeWarden account.

That outcome prevented the catch from being wasted while still preserving the enforcement action. It was a practical resolution after the fish had already been removed from the water and could not simply be returned alive.

Citations Issued to Both Anglers

In the end, Song Hong was cited for possessing more than the legal limit of non-pelagic rockfish, using rockfish as bait, failing to record his shrimp harvest, and failing to carry the required deep-water release device.

Dong Kim was cited for possessing more than the legal limit of non-pelagic rockfish and using rockfish as bait.

Troopers determined that the pair had eight non-pelagic rockfish beyond the legal possession limit, including four excess yelloweye rockfish.

The inspection began with polite questions and a simple look inside the boat, but it exposed several separate violations tied to the same trip.

What makes the encounter interesting is how quickly one mistake led to another. An incorrect understanding of the rockfish limit was followed by illegal bait, missing safety equipment, and incomplete harvest records.

The footage also shows why wildlife officers inspect more than licenses. Species identification, catch counts, bait rules, reporting requirements, and release equipment all work together as part of the same conservation system.

For Hong and Kim, the day ended with citations, seized fish, and a lesson that fishing regulations in Alaska can be detailed, but they are not optional.