I hate these nets - wholesale death of the fish OUT OF SEASON!
www.baltimoresun.com/sports/bs-sp-rockfish-poaching-0208-20110208,0,3895241.storybaltimoresun.com
Two more nets containing striped bass found
Natural Resources Police continue finding submerged nets despite season being closed
By Candy Thomson, The Baltimore Sun
11:01 AM EST, February 8, 2011
Advertisement
Natural Resources Police patrol boats found two more illegal fishing nets Monday in the waters south of Kent Island and seized another half-ton of striped bass.
The first net was hauled out at 2 p.m. near Poplar Island. The 600-yard net, which officers estimated to be in the water since last year, contained "a couple of rockfish that were released alive and 200 to 300 horseshoe crabs," said Sgt. Art Windemuth, NRP spokesman.
The second net, pulled in the evening, was about a mile south of the illegal nets found off Bloody Point last week. The 1,200-yard submerged net contained 1,159 pounds of striped bass, which were sold at market," Windemuth said.
Patrol boats continue to troll the area around Kent Island and the Choptank and Chester rivers with grappling hooks.
"We're still looking," said Windemuth. "I wouldn't be surprised to find more. We're continuing to receive tips on our Catch-A-Poacher hot line and are aggressively following up tips. With the public's help, we can get a handle on this."
So far NRP officers have recovered nearly three miles of illegal nets, approaching last year's total.
Last week, the Department of Natural Resources offered a reward of more than $7,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the poachers responsible for netting more than 10 tons of striped bass in a two-day period. The state also closed the commercial gill net season to ensure that Maryland does not exceed its February quota.
The hot line is 800-635-6124.
candus.thomson@baltsun.com Copyright © 2011, The Baltimore Sun