A CDFW investigation

“CDFW officers work to protect our state, including California’s coastline, from those who pose a threat to our natural resources and whose actions may pose unfair challenges to businesses following the State’s laws, rules, and regulations.”

CSLEA President Alan Barcelona

SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY – On February 23, 2026, San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow announced that Black Pearl Sportfishing LLC., the owner of the “Black Pearl” fishing vessel, and its operator, Brian Walker, have agree to pay $12,600 in penalties and restitution and abide by fishing restrictions when taking customers sport fishing.

“The Black Pearl” charter boat service regularly takes dozens of paying passengers on deep-sea fishing trips along the coastal waters of San Luis Obispo County.   

On July 12, 2025, California Department of Fish & Wildlife officers were on patrol in the “Bluefin” vessel in foggy conditions near Piedras Blancas in San Luis Obispo County when they identified on radar a suspected boat drifting inside a restricted fishing area. The captain of the “Bluefin” lowered a small patrol boat and dispatched two officers to investigate.

Using radar and command instructions from the “Bluefin,” the officers located and identified the “Black Pearl” in the fog and observed 20 customers fishing in waters seasonally prohibited to fishing. Later, an audit by the CDFW of the electronic fish logs submitted to the State by the crew of the “Black Pearl” revealed it was not accurately recording the species of rock fish being caught by its passengers.   

After being contacted by the District Attorney’s Office, Black Pearl Sportfishing LLC. immediately took steps to come into compliance with reporting requirements by replacing the vessel’s computer hardware system and training the crew members in its usage.   

On Thursday, January 22, 2026, San Luis Obispo County Superior Court Judge Craig Van Rooyen approved the settlement stipulation and issued an order that requires Black Pearl Sportfishing LLC. and Walker to pay $10,600 in civil penalties.

They also agreed to pay $2,000 to the San Luis Obispo County Fish and Game Fund, a program under which funds are exclusively used for programs and projects that benefit the fish and wildlife of San Luis Obispo County. The order also prohibits the business from exceeding daily fish catch limits set by law and requires the boat’s crew to report the specific species of rockfish that its customers catch.   

“Civil enforcement actions like this are essential to protect our precious marine resources and to make sure that everyone who does business on our coast plays by the same rules,” said District Attorney Dan Dow. “By holding violators accountable, we safeguard the long‑term sustainability of our coastal waters and ensure a fair marketplace for the many law‑abiding commercial fishermen who depend on them.”

The civil case was investigated by the Department of Fish and Wildlife and prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Kenneth Jorgensen, assigned to the District Attorney’s Consumer and Environmental Protection Unit.  

Commercial fishing is a highly regulated business in California with the purpose of protecting the long-term sustainability of California’s coastal ecosystems. Officers of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) are entrusted with protecting the state’s marine resources by patrolling and enforcing fishing laws along California’s 840-mile-long coastline. 

Here is a copy of the civil complaint.  Here is a copy of the stipulated final judgment.