A serial lobster poacher is headed to jail after pleading guilty to charges that he violated a court order by unlawfully removing 12 spiny lobsters from the South La Jolla State Marine Reserve.
Prior to his July 11 arrest near Moss Lane in Bird Rock on the latest charges, Xuan Lam Hoang had been cited four times by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife for poaching lobsters in the South La Jolla State Marine Reserve. 
“I’m proud of the role the City Attorney’s Office is playing in preserving our City’s coastal environment,” San Diego City Attorney Mara Elliott said. “We will continue to work with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to protect precious marine resources so that they are available for future generations.”
Under the plea agreement reached with prosecutors in the City Attorney’s Nuisance Abatement Unit, Hoang was ordered to serve 45 days in custody. He was also placed on three years of probation, subject to a waiver of his Fourth Amendment rights against warrantless searches and seizures. He was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and to forfeit all the fishing gear and spiny lobsters that were seized by the Fish and Wildlife game wardens. The court ordered Hoang to stay at least 100 yards away from the South La Jolla State Marine Reserve and prohibited him from taking marine resources from any state preserve for three years. 
Anyone who believes they are a witness to unlawful hunting, fishing, or pollution is encouraged to call CalTIP, California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (CDFW) confidential secret witness program, at 888-334-2258. Anyone with a cell phone may send a tip to CDFW by texting “CALTIP,” followed by a space and the message, to 847411 (tip411). Callers may remain anonymous and a reward may result from successful capture and prosecution.
The City Attorney’s Nuisance Abatement Unit, previously titled the Code Enforcement Unit, was established in 1984 to address nuisance properties and blight throughout the City of San Diego. This unit also works with the CDFW to protect the marine environment from fishing in protected areas and to protect endangered species from wildlife trafficking, such as the illegal sale of ivory. The unit prosecutes the illegal transportation, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste; leaking underground storage tanks; oil spills; lead paint; the destruction of historical and archeological resources; illegal grading and dumping; and the destruction of environmentally-sensitive land. Community members can report health and safety and environmental violations to the City Attorney’s Nuisance Abatement Unit at 619-533-5655.