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Gnatman
01-07-2009, 12:03 PM
...to us if we had "tons of illegal" rockfish?


Pretty sad, if you ask me! :mad:

Illegal fishing charged; tons of rockfish seized
By Candus Thomson
January 7, 2009
Natural Resources Police seized nearly 3 tons of striped bass Sunday from a trawler and charged a Dorchester County seafood processor with illegal commercial fishing in Maryland waters. It was the second time in less than a week that officers had charged Jack C. Colbourne, owner of Colbourne Seafood Inc. in Secretary, with illegal fishing.

Officers boarded the Mount Vernon after watching the 80-foot vessel drag a net about two miles off the Ocean City inlet all day Sunday, according to Sgt. Ken Turner, a police spokesman.

Officers issued citations to Colbourne, 69, Mark H. Bryan, 53, and Bayard Lewis Taylor III, 64, all of East New Market, for fishing between 6 p.m. Friday and 5 a.m. Monday, when the season is closed. They are to appear Feb. 22 in Worcester County District Court. The maximum fine is $250 if they plead guilty before their court date and $500 if found guilty by a judge.
The boat is owned by Mount Vernon LLC in Cape May, N.J. The catch was sold and the money is being held in escrow until the cases are settled, Turner said.



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On Dec. 30, officers boarded the Mount Vernon in West Ocean City and charged Colbourne with exceeding his 1,900-pound seasonal allocation of striped bass, or rockfish, by 138 pounds, Turner said.

The U.S. government has banned striped bass fishing from three miles to 200 miles off the East Coast. The area between the shore and federal waters is governed by the states. New Jersey is one of six East Coast states that prohibit commercial striped bass fishing; Maryland allows recreational and commercial fishing.

fmchale840
01-07-2009, 12:15 PM
that is why we don't get as many fish up here ,, They shouldn't be able to fish anymore.

Sgt_Slough
01-07-2009, 12:24 PM
Maryland has enhancements just for violations involving recreational harvest of striped bass (above whatever penalty is imposed for the violation, fishing without a license, keeping undersized fish, etc) . . .

"NOTE: NR 4-1201(d) allows for the following additional penalties (Above those listed in the Maximum Penalty column) for a violation of any provision of Title 4 or regulations adopted pursuant to Title 4 concerning the taking of or creel limits for striped bass (rockfish):

1st offense $1500 per fish
2nd offense $2500 per fish and revocation of fishing license for one to two years
3rd offense $2500 per fish and revocation of fishing license for two to five years"

basstardo
01-07-2009, 12:27 PM
What's the incentive for guys like that to stop if the fine is that low? What a waste of time and money.

Instead of Whale Wars, how about Striper Wars? :cool:

rattler
01-09-2009, 01:22 AM
What's the incentive for guys like that to stop if the fine is that low? What a waste of time and money.

Instead of Whale Wars, how about Striper Wars? :cool:

that is the $1,000,000.oo ? its "ok, sorry, heres my $500 now I need to go sell my $10,000 catch, have a nice day.