Someone has stolen nearly $20,000 worth of oysters and cages from a Falmouth aquaculture site.
The theft was discovered on Nov. 22 when Michael Scafuro of Portland checked his site near The Brothers Islands in Casco Bay, according to the Maine Department of Marine Resources.
He found 14 cages and 40,000 oysters, which were ready for sale, gone, the department said Thursday morning.
A search of the area determined the cages didn’t just break free of their moorings. The rope, anchors and buoys that held the cages in place were still there.
“This is a devastating situation for a small businessman like Mr. Scafuro, especially as we head into the holidays,” Maine Marine Patrol Sgt. Matthew Sinclair said. “It can take years to grow oysters to market size, so he has lost that investment of time and money in addition to his valuable equipment and the income from the sale of these oysters.”
Maine Operation Game Thief is offering a $5,000 reward for any information that leads to a conviction in this case. Tips can be submitted anonymously online at https://maineogt.org/report-a-violation or by phone at 800-253-7887 that leads to a conviction.
If convicted, the thief or thieves face up to 10 years in prison and up to a $20,000 fine.
