more illegal gillnetter bass in MD

[seamonkey]

Is this stuff ever going to end?

May 5, 2011

Police Blotter

NRP completes recovery of illegal gill net

The Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) located 1,400 yards of illegal anchored gill net containing more than 3 tons of dead rockfish.

On May 1, NRP responded to the Chesapeake Bay near buoy 82, west of Tilghman Island for a report of an illegal anchored gill net. Officers located the net but were unable to retrieve it due to the weight of the dead fish. On May 2, the S. V. Sandusky, the DNR ice breaker/buoy tender, was dispatched to retrieve the net. Sea and wind conditions prevented the crew from pulling in the net.

On May 3, with much improved sea conditions, the crew of the Sandusky and NRP officers were able to retrieve 1400 yards of anchored gill net which contained approximately 450 striped bass weighing 6,750 pounds.

Nearly all of the fish were dead and had to taken to the landfill. The net appeared to have been out since January and February due to the condition of the net and fish.

NRP is encouraging anyone with information on this incident, please call the Natural Resources Police Communication Center at 800-628-9944.

[jonthepain]

holy crap

[voyager35]

On May 3, with much improved sea conditions, the crew of the Sandusky and NRP officers were able to retrieve 1400 yards of anchored gill net which contained approximately 450 striped bass weighing 6,750 pounds.

6750 pounds is nothing. This is the latest bust. 200,000 pounds


Last updated: Friday, August 1, 2014, 9:16 PM

Two Maryland fishermen admitted Friday to illegally harvesting nearly 200,000 pounds of striped bass from the Chesapeake Bay and selling the haul to seafood wholesalers.
Michael Hayden, 41, and William Lednum, 42, both of Tilghman Island, pleaded guilty to a federal charge of conspiring to violate the Lacey Act, which prohibits the trafficking of illegally caught fish.
"These defendants admitted to systematically plundering the Chesapeake Bay of an important and protected natural resource, and at the expense of the many honest fishermen who play by the rules," Acting Assistant Attorney General Sam Hirsch, of the Justice Department?s Environment and Natural Resources Division, said in a statement.


Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/Fi...TtRvHjFhuw4.99