Article: Biggest single gill net violation in 25 years off Bloody Point in MD

[Sport Fishing]

Story by a SportFishermen.com Staff Writer

Mattapeake, MD - In the early hours of February 1, 2011, a number of Maryland's Commercial Striped bass fishermen took to the icy waters of the Chesapeake Bay to set their nets. Under a close eye from MD Natural Resources Police(MDNRP), and operating under a tightly watched quota, the fishermen have waited since January 17th for the season to reopen. On January 14th, Secretary John Griffin announced the closure of the January Gill net season, with a reopening date of February 1, 2011. In an effort to lengthen the season, the February season only allows fishing on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, with a harvest limit of 300lbs per license, and 1200lbs per vessel per day.

Taking part in such a quickly changing season proves to be profitable for some and tough for others. Cold weather and long hours also make this a tough time of year for NRP officers that patrol the waters of the Chesapeake Bay and it's tributaries.

Early this morning while on patrol NRP officers located 900 yards of illegally set gill nets containing more than 6000lbs of Striped Bass along with sea ducks and other fish. Officers attempted to locate the fisherman responsible for the illegal set before calling in a 73' buoy tender to remove the net from the water.

"Gill nets continue to plague the waters of the Chesapeake Bay; illegal fishing must stop before fishery managers can truly manage the fishery" said Coastal Conservation Association of Maryland's Executive Director Tony Friedrich, as he witnessed the more than 3 tons of Striped Bass be removed from the nets.

It seems that the poaching of Striped Bass with gill nets is a problem that is all too familiar to in Maryland. Less than a year ago NRP officers made news by finding and seizing approximately 16,500 yards of illegally anchored gill and 3,200 lbs. of rockfish. Officers also charged a number of fishermen with various other violations.

In a time when managers and anglers alike have expressed concerns over dwindling Striped Bass numbers, poaching must come to an end.

Photos by Tony Friedrich, CCA MD Executive Director

[crispy167]

they didn't actually catch the violators, hope they do and throw the book at 'em!! what a waste ... i'd LOVE to catch a couple of those cows ...

[Dave Sikorski]

What a sin.

They haven't caught anyone yet, but they did find additional nets over night and today with a large number of fish in them.

I'd imagine in the near future someone will talk to the wrong person, and the poachers will face charges.

-D

[fat2na.com]

Fuscking scumbags! There's obviously buyers or they wouldn't do it. Both the poachers and buyers should be prosecuted!

[TeamLithics]

Natural Resources Police discovered more illegal striped bass fishing nets Tuesday night, this time in Eastern Bay to the east of Kent Island.

Sgt. Art Windemuth, spokesman for NRP, said the nets snagged, "Three to four tons, just as many fish, if not more" than the 900-yard net discovered Monday and hauled in Tuesday near Bloody Point at the southern tip of Kent Island.

Officers are bringing in the nets this morning and will take salvageable fish to market, where they will be sold and the money used to buy law enforcement equipment.



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The commercial season opened Tuesday, and NRP officers often drag popular illegal striped bass fishing areas with hooks, hoping to snag illegal underwater nets.

That tactic paid off Monday, when officers pulled up three nets tied together, totaling 900 yards. They marked it and placed it back in the water and then staked out the site overnight. But the poacher never returned.

When the net was pulled Tuesday morning, it was filled with nearly three tons of striped bass with a market value of about $15,000. It took a patrol boat and a 73-foot buoy tender to recover the fish and nets.

Drifting gill nets are legal as long as the waterman remains nearby and the nets are marked. But illegal nets, a maze of mesh that snag fish of all kinds, waterfowl and turtles are anchored to avoid detection and increase efficiency.

Windemuth said the dragging and investigation is continuing.

candy.thomson@baltsun.com

[Dave Sikorski]

From CCA MD's newletter Tight Lines...

Illegal Gill Nets Plague the Chesapeake Bay
by Tony Friedrich
CCA MD Executive Director
Baltimore Sun Outdoor Writer Candus Thomson called yesterday and alerted me to what will be the largest single gill net violation in the last 25 years. I had to see for myself, so I drove over to Matapeake State Park to watch the off load. I saw 900 yards of illegal nets on the decks of two boats. I saw hundreds of dead stripers, a few big mud shad, and even sea ducks being cut from this anchored wall of death.
This net was anchored, untended, was set before the opening of the season which started on February 1at 3 a.m. This illegal net and the people that set it claimed more than 6,000 pounds of striped bass, five times the amount allowed per day on a commercial vessel in the Bay. It’s hard for people to imagine what this looks like in person, so I’ve included several images (link).
Thankfully, these fish will not be wasted as they will be sold to raise funds for the Natural Resources Police (NPR). However, this incident raises several key issues. First, how many more of these nets are plaguing the Bay? There are reportedly many more illegal nets out there and the NRP are after them. What happens when many of these illegally anchored nets are abandoned once the word gets out that NRP is on the prowl?
Candus asked me, “What else can we do?” For some time CCA has worked with the Department of Natural Resources tirelessly on this issue. To the Department’s credit, it has answered many of our concerns by creating harsher penalties and increased enforcement. In my experience these are the finest men and women the DNR has had on staff. We’ve also worked closely with the Natural Resources Police and donated thousands of dollars in equipment, some of which may have used in this very same bust. You won’t find a more committed group of people anywhere. But they are woefully understaffed and under-equipped. They need our support now more than ever with potential budget cuts looming in the General Assembly. Even the courts have answered our pleas. Working with the Department, they established a dedicated Natural Resources Docket once a month in the District Court for Anne Arundel County. This approach will likely be instituted throughout the state's other District Courts in the coming year. DNR, NRP, and the Maryland Judiciary have all not only recognized a problem but also addressed it. That’s all you can ask from your fisheries managers. Yet, today I watched dead striper after dead striper cut from a never ending pile of illegal net. There are more out there right now, abusing our resources. Many will never be found and few will face charges for these crimes.
CCA Maryland firmly believes that striped bass are a public resource. What I saw today was a crime against all the citizens of Maryland. It was a slap in the face to the Department of Natural Resources which tries to be fair even in the face of mounting evidence. It’s an insult to those commercial fishermen that abide by the rules, even when some of their neighbors and friends refuse to do so. How much longer can we risk the health of striped bass stocks for a few outlaws? How much tolerance are the people of Maryland expected to have? Please stay tuned for more information because the story is still unfolding. In fact, I just got back from Matapeake this morning. They have located several more nets and already hauled in another 5000lbs of illegally netted striped bass with more coming into port as you read this.
You can read Candy’s outstanding article on The Sun’s website, http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/b...,3432078.story. Additional coverage will likely appear in The Sun this Sunday.


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-D

[brandon558]

what a friggin shame..hope they get the bastards.

[Split Bill]

Doesn't sound like they've actually caught anyone yet. Damn shame.

[hotshot1]

More reason not to have commercial fishing for a true gamefish. I'm not here saying all commercial fishing is bad, i do eat store fish, but it's actions like this and in NC that give the commercial fishing a black eye. And don't even try to tell me that the Honest fishermen don't know who is responsible.

[cap'n nasty]

A true gamefish?????? A striper? They are popular for sportfishing because they are close to shore and are easy to catch. Not sure about a "true gamefish".