Morro Bay fisherman settles civil enforcement action

February 24, 2026

By KAREN VELIE

A man running a commercial fishing operation out of Morro Bay has agreed to pay a fine and to operate legally after California Department of Fish and Wildlife officers caught him taking customers to fish in restricted waters.

Brian Walker, owner and operator of the “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. In order to protect the sustainability of the coastline, commercial fishing is a highly regulated business.

On July 12, California Department of Fish and Wildlife officers spotted a vessel near Piedras Blancas inside a restricted fishing area. Using radar and command instructions, the officers located and identified the “Black Pearl” in the fog and observed 20 customers fishing in waters seasonally prohibited to fishing.

In addition, officers determined the crew of the “Black Pearl” was not accurately recording the number of rock fish being caught by its passengers.

After being contacted by the SLO County District Attorney’s Office, Walker immediately took steps to come into compliance with state laws.

On Jan. 22, SLO County Superior Court Judge Craig Van Rooyen approved a settlement stipulation and issued an order that requires Black Pearl Sportfishing  and Walker to pay $10,600 in civil penalties.

They also agreed to pay $2,000 to the SLO County Fish and Game fund, a program under which funds are exclusively used for programs and projects that benefit the fish and wildlife of SLO County.

“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.”