A tip from the U.S. Coast Guard turned into a major bust off Cape Cod. Early on the morning of August 5th, Massachusetts Environmental Police officers responded to a report of a fisherman with suspected illegal commercial striped bass in the Ryders Cove area of Chatham.
Officers found the fisherman in possession of 18 striped bass, all of it landed on a closed commercial day. Six of those fish came in under the 35-inch minimum size limit for commercial striped bass. Further investigation showed the fisherman had landed double commercial limit for a single day.
In total, officers seized 324 pounds of striped bass. The fish were forfeited to the Commonwealth following a civil libel hearing, which came with a $1,863.00 penalty. On top of that, the fisherman was issued a Massachusetts Environmental Violation Notice totaling an additional $2,905.80 — bringing the total financial hit to nearly $4,800.
Massachusetts Environmental Police credited the U.S. Coast Guard for its partnership and assistance in the case, and used the bust as a reminder that officers are patrolling state waters daily to enforce striped bass regulations and protect the fishery for everyone else playing by the rules. Anyone who witnesses a natural resource violation is encouraged to call the Environmental Police’s 24-hour dispatch line at 1-800-632-8075.
