Duncan MacLean

The well-known coastside fisherman arrested for possession of methamphetamine only months after crashing his boat accepted a plea deal yesterday that will send him to treatment rather than jail.

Duncan Fergusson MacLean, 63, was charged with three misdemeanors and headed to trial Monday. Instead of facing a jury, MacLean, through his attorney, pleaded no contest to misdemeanor drug possession and was given a suspended sentence. The charges will be dropped if MacLean completes drug treatment. If not, he will be remanded to the county jail.

MacLean was also placed on 18 months probation.

Sheriff's deputies arrested MacLean July 6, 2012 after stopping him for a broken taillight. A search reportedly turned up a small bag of methamphetamine and a smoking pipe in his pants pockets.

MacLean allegedly told investigators he has used methamphetamine for years for pain relief because of a bad back.

MacLean is a prominent fisherman on the coast having served as president of the Half Moon Bay Fisherman's Marketing Association and as an adviser for the Pacific Fishery Management Council and the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Association.

In May 2012, he crashed his vessel, the "Barbara Faye” into a beach in Marin County. He reportedly fell asleep after fishing for two straight days. He passed a field sobriety test several hours after the crash and was instructed to take a drug test within 32 hours of the incident but failed to do so.

MacLean is out of custody on a $7,500 bond.