According to the information Michael Szuch, 38, a Lucas County commercial fisherman, had been accused of catching more yellow perch than his quota allowed and conspiring with the owner of a Port Clinton fishery to underreport the number of fish he caught. But the court declares him clear of the charges and he is now an honest fisherman.
Defense attorney Mike Camera after Lorain County Common Pleas Judge Edward Zaleski announced his verdict. The prosecutors informed that in 2002 Szuch, of Curtice, caught 149,069 pounds of yellow perch, 22,714 pounds over his quota of 126,355 pounds.
It is told that the owner of Lake Fish, Dale Trent, also accused Szuch of catching more fish than he was allowed to. Trent took a plea bargain in the case and testified against Szuch during the two-day trial. Camera said that Szuch cut a deal for a misdemeanor so he could stay in business. Camera also said that there was no way Szuch could have caught as many fish as ODNR officials contend he did in the waters he was fishing off Lorain County shores.
Ryan Miday, a spokesman for Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Bill Mason, said that they respect the judge’s decision but believed we presented sufficient evidence of (Szuch’s) guilt. It is observed that had Szuch been convicted, he could have faced up to 10 years in prison and not had his commercial fishing licenses, one of only 18 such licenses issued by the state, renewed.
