2 more greedy bassturds busted in Maryland.
Natural Resources Police say officers caught the pair while double checking their catch. They intended to sell the stolen fish at market price.
?This is shocking because these are professionals. They know all the rules,? Offer said.
And because they didn?t play by the rules, police say the pair face fines in excess of $400,000. That?s a maximum fine of $2,500 per fish for exceeding their daily harvest by 532 pounds.
?The people that are going out there working honestly, it gives them a black eye,? said Robert Brown, president of the Watermen?s Association.
Three years ago, 13 million pounds of fish were found in poachers? nets. State officials shut down the rockfish season early to protect the species from overfishing.
?It killed us. It killed our winter?s work,? a waterman said at the time.
And the Watermen?s Association says they?re not in the clear yet.
?The following year, we were deducted 10 percent of our catch in case somebody did break the law,? Brown said. ?The next year it was down to five percent so it?s down to 2.5 percent this year.?
It?s a hefty consequence for honest workers when those who cheat don?t fish by the rules.
DNR is cracking down on poaching using sonar to detect nets underwater.
Poachers busted in maryland
Feds Catch &Fine NC fisherman
13 charged with illegal harvest, sale of striped bass
"The illegal poaching of striped bass by commercial fishermen can have a huge collective impact on the fish resource and has the potential to devastate the future livelihoods of law abiding commercial fishermen," said John C. Cruden, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources Division.
"The vast majority of fishermen do respect the law and carefully monitor their harvest to ensure they stay within the well-researched limits. Those who deliberately break the law will be prosecuted."
Thanks for reporting that finchaser. Hopefully the judge who does the sentencing is smart enough to send a message.