LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Two boaters have been fined $5,000 for attempting to illegally launch a vessel on the West Shore of Lake Tahoe. During their board meeting on January 28, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) board approved the fine amount and a settlement with the boaters.
The boaters, identified as Alexander Bulba and Denis Luzhanskiy, were attempting to launch in July 2025 at Obexer’s Marina near Homewood. Their boat had a wire inspection seal that had been broken during an earlier launch at Folsom Lake and then reattached to deceive marina staff. Obexer’s Marina staff members noticed the tampered seal, refused to allow the boat to launch, and notified TRPA aquatic invasive species managers.
The seal presented to launch in Lake Tahoe was attached at the Tahoe Keys Marina in August 2024 and would have been removed the day prior when the watercraft was documented as having launched in Folsom Lake. At the time of the attempted launch at Obexers, the Lake Tahoe seal would have been removed and replaced with a Folsom Lake seal.
“We thank the staff at Obexer’s Marina for their diligence and quick action,” said TRPA Compliance Manager Steve Sweet. “Partnership is at the heart of our aquatic invasive species program and it’s the shared commitment of boaters, marinas, paddlers, and our many partners in the basin that is ensuring Lake Tahoe remains one of the clearest bodies of water in the world.”
The boaters agreed to the $5,000 settlement. Had this incident resulted in harm to Lake Tahoe, penalties could have been significantly greater. If the two men do not pay the fine within 30 days, the settlement will be invalid and TRPA can seek judicial action.
Inspection seals are a critical part of the Lake Tahoe Watercraft Inspection Program because they show marina and boat launch staff that a vessel was last launched at Lake Tahoe or has undergone the mandatory aquatic invasive species inspection and decontamination at a regional boat inspection station. Aquatic invasive species, such as golden mussels, can irreversibly damage Lake Tahoe’s ecosystem, world-renowned clarity, and recreation-based economy.
Golden mussels (Limnoperna fortunei) are the primary, critical invasive species threat at Folsom Lake and were discovered in 2025 to be infesting vessels.
TRPA, the Tahoe Resource Conservation District, and partners have built Lake Tahoe’s aquatic invasive species prevention program into one of the most protective in the nation over the last 18 years, according to the agencies. In 2025, Tahoe Resource Conservation District inspectors conducted more than 4,700 inspections and intercepted 72 boats with invasive species on board. No new aquatic invasive species were detected in Lake Tahoe. Since 2008, more than 118,000 boats have been inspected, and the program is considered a national model.. For more information, visit TahoeBoatInspections.com.