Poacher Arrested for Black Sea Bass Violations
On Wednesday, May 18, 2016, a Massachusetts Environmental Police Lieutenant received a call from the Mattapoisett Harbormaster regarding an individual at their boat ramp in possession of black sea bass. Currently both the recreational and the commercial season for black sea bass are closed. Upon arrival at the boat ramp, officers spoke with the individual and inspected his catch.
An inspection of the vessel yielded several totes and coolers, as well as an interior deck compartment, containing black sea bass.
It is unlawful to possess black sea bass in a closed season; when the season is open there is a recreational limit of 5 black sea bass per person, with a minimum size of 15-inches. After inspecting the vessel, it was determined that there were a total of 153 black sea bass, of which 75 were under the legal limit.
The vessel operator was advised of the Massachusetts Environmental Police findings and placed under arrest for failing to display fish upon demand, possession of undersized sea bass, possession of over limit sea bass, possession of sea bass in a closed season, and no recreational salt water permit. He was subsequently transported to Mattapoisett Police Department for booking.
Great job all involved hope they throw all the books at him
I believe that people like this deserve jail time.
He should be bung stuffed with one every morning…..tail first!
Why is this guy only referred to as “individual”? What is his name?
take his boat and inpound it.
Impound? Nope confiscate and sell it at auction.
Take the boat, trailer, and the vehicle. Sell it at auction. He’ll think twice about ever doing it again. It really pisses me off that these guys get away with this crap. Clamming, fishing hunting out of season, shorts, bag limits, without licenses, …. gluttony!
You hit the nail on the head Capt. Bob. Until they get serious and start taking boats this type of b.s. will continue.
“The operator was issued a criminal summons and his boat, trailer, and fishing gear were seized by the Commonwealth. The fish were sold and the proceeds will go through a civil process.”
It’s a shame to see this. Great job on this bust. I always keep my eyes open in Buzzards Bay. I see too many undersized filleted sea bass floating around.
Great Work MEP. BTW could you tell us all who the scum bag pig’s name is.
Look up the boats registration. The name of the boat can’t be missed. Boat name and registration is public record. hehehehe……..
Take the boat, the truck all the fishing gears, never to fish again !!
What a scum bag ! Nothing about the stripped bass?!
Great job but it’s a joke not much is done to the poachers. It’s a shame!
Good work all around. However, I fear that some liberal judge will let them off with probation. Then, the following week, they will be out at it again. Take the boat, take the gear, and impose a stiff fine. Send a message to the rest of the scumbags!
Also, why aren’t the names published? It should be public record.
Liberal judge. LMAO. Always those to politicize things. Those that do are usually on the fringe of either side. Sure talk about the liberal judges, but don’t bother talking about big business and how the rules are in favor of them and to hell with the little guy. Yup. It’s not the commercial fishing fleets and their lobbyists that allow them to rape the ocean, it’s the liberal judges. Give us a break man.
Lol Stev-o don’t listen to this looser. Breaking the law and worse a crooked judge are absolutely problems in this country. Your completely out of your mind Mr Tea Party. I’m gonna guess you’ve been in a bit of trouble in the past by this post. Now with that being said the only thing your comment was good for is the commercial fisherman issue. Yes they are a big part of the problem. However what are you suggesting here not make things difficult for these offenders. Bottom line they broke many laws hand them the whole book and pray the liberal judge gives us justice. Oh and Tea Party kiss my a–
As an ardent conservative and tea party member it’s important to follow the law. Punishment of such violations should follow its prescribed dictates and not emotions
Well Said !!!
TeaPartysAJoke sounds like one of these guys that goes to a trump rally, threatens conservatives peacefully attending, attacks cops, screams and yells profanities, then blames trump for inciting violence. “but, but, the corporations man ! “
No, TeaPartysAJoke is Flaming Lib who hates Tea Party members and Conservatives alike. Remember Laws don’t apply to people like him, they apply just to us who abide and protect them. He’s probably a poacher as well. Nice job guys!
TeaPartysAJoke is not a member of the Tea Party; he’s laughing at the Tea Party while pushing a liberal agenda. The guy is a criminal and liberal judges do let criminals walk the streets way to often. 90 days in a county jail is a good start for this guy, along with the loss of his boat, truck, and gear. He did lose the boat, but I don’t know if he lost the truck.
The judge comment was way off base. Stay focused on the criminal and his actions
Pretty sure the liberals are the ones imposing environmental laws…. Seeing as the conservatives couldn’t give two f#%ks about the environment or conservation. #takeyourheadoutofthesand
Good job MEP. The good news is they showed us the boat and name on it if you were to see it on the water again.
Glad the harbor master called in and someone actually show up to enforce the law otherwise we won’t have much of a fishery soon.
As much as I like to catch and eat fish. This behavior just reinforces the need for external regulation because idiots like this cannot regulate themselves. Take his gear and his boat and make an example out of him or this will continue to be the norm not the exception.
Very well said – couldn’t agree more.
That’s unbelievable. Don’t let them fish for life. Stupid people. Take his rod impound the boat. And give them a big ticket.
Time for much stiffer penalties. This loser deserves to lose his boat.
Take his boat and auction it. And jail the fool for a year or more !! Scum like this is who decimates our fisheries . No excuse HE KNEW EXACTLY WHAT HE WAS DOING, and also knew that it was illegal in many ways. NO MERCY !!!
Give them the chair – the chair I tell ya!
GOOD WORK IT ABOUT TIME GIVE HIM BIG TIME FINE AND TAKE THE BOAT
No more fishing for that asswhole
OK after moderation of my last reply,No.no.no.more fishing for that person!!!!!!!
Great job !! I agree , put his name and address up so all can see who this scumbag is !! I hope they take the boat and auction it and all his gear and publish him so all will know who is depleting the fisheries and as a warning to other scum out there !!
Glad they at least arrested him. People like that make me sick. Good job all whom were involved in that arrest
Great job! Hope he gets jail and a fine. A a sport fisherman I appreciate all the hard work of fish and game. Let’s keep these fisheries around for our children and future generations.
Destroy his boat. Lock him up. Fine him heavily
Cudos to the Harbormaster reporting the incident. What a disgustingly selfish individual. Ignorant individuals such as this “Fisherman” are destroying the opportunity for ethical anglers to enjoy time on the water. Hope he enjoys his cell, fines & losing all his gear.
All I hope is the judge is an avid fisherman and big catch and release advocate….
Your a complete piece of crap! I hope they take everything. Others have a great idea. Post the poachers name. Go ahead. Loser!!!!
Clearly he will be severely punished. Side issue: How did he catch all those fish by himself. Maniacal. He must be selling these out of state possibly. There is more to this story.
Great job,Harbormaster and MEP.Definetly take all the gear the guy has and levy a big fine,make it hurt.Hope all the fish went to some hungry people,and didn’t go to waste.keep up the good work.
Great job MEP, impound everything sell it and use the money to catch more scumbags. Keep up the good work.
Take the motor off… drain the fuel… then sink the boat right in front of em
What do you expect from Massachusetts? Wicked Tuna, enough said!
Just by your name HJ,we can tell what kind of guy you are. FYI: Not all of the fishermen seen on Wicked T are from Mass., and I’d be willing to bet this criminal isn’t a native of Mass.
Hopefully this Scum Bag isn’t an illegal Immigrant. If he is, then chances are nothing will be done to him and he’ll be free to again catch all the Fish he wants.
My initial thoughts are that you are probably correct judging by the picture of the Virgin Mary inside the boat that “they” (you know who) all have an obsession with and don’t go anywhere without. Clear giveaway that they are from another country.
You afraid to say it, then I will the Virgin Mary is present in a lot of peurto Rican homes & cars. That being said, I always see those people breaking laws. It common for them get their limit bring it to the cooler in their car trunk and repeat that all day long
And I wonder how many other times he did this? Subpoena his phone texting/call record and see which towers it was using (maybe even GPS gets stored, I don’t know). …then see how many other times he was out on the water this month, presumably doing the same thing. I know you can’t prove anything, but can help give more cause to giving him complete max penalty.
After seeing hundreds of dead bass floating off Chatham behind draggers and thousands of dead haddock off golf ball I just can’t get angry over this small time injustice. State wants you to be angry at small time rec fisherman breaking the rules and divert your attention from injustice on a large commercial scale. That said, I’m glad they were caught.
The guy had a commercial license and knew exactly what he was doing. “The operator was issued a criminal summons and his boat, trailer, and fishing gear were seized by the Commonwealth. The fish were sold and the proceeds will go through a civil process.”
Relalize this is the one time he was caught!,most likely the turd has been doing this for a long time. No Mercy,the state should have a data base to never allow this person to obtain a fishing permit,register a boat,prohibit him any and all fisheries and game participation in any form.
Good Work MA DEM ! This type of behavior is dispicable and disgusting ! This isn’t fishing ! It’s slaughter !
It’s MEP – MA Environmental Police not DEM – Department of Environmental Management. 2 are totally different
MEP = Massachusetts
DEM Police= Rhode Island
Both are environmental Police
You are all a bunch of angry bootlicking jerks.
Sea bass are delicious eats and neither God nor Government should stop anyone from catching them.
I agree !!! With all the shit going on in Fairhaven we gotta Bust the litre guy and put him at the whipping post !
No one says u can’t fish for them but size n possion limits need to be made n enforced to keep the fishery healthy n stable.The moratorium years ago on stripped bass is the reason that fishery’s stable now n the fishing so good
Seriuosly????? You just think anyone should catch what they want, when they want and how many they want?? Your really stupid you know that! That POACHER ( because that’s what he is) should lose everything. It’s people like him and obviously you that screw the fisheries up. He probably is from somewhere else and is going to play the “Me sorry, me didn’t know” card. ( but he did ). We should bring back the old form of justice!
take him out to sea chum the shark infested waters and have him walk the plank…then sink his boat, f#@k*&*g looser..
The only problem in the world are the humans
WHAT WERE THEY GOING TO DO WITH ALL THAT FISH SELL IT ?
THERE ARE LAWS AGAINST THAT AS WELL. WHAT IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE THEY DESERVE WHAT THEY GET. DON’T CARE IF YOU ARE RED, GREEN. BLUE, OR YELLOW
They should’ve released his name just as is done in a News Paper’s Police Blotter.
OK….the boat and everything on it, the trailer and the truck used to get the boat to the water will all be confiscated and sold at action “if” found guilty.
He was arrested so his name is available in public records, check the Mattapoisett Police Blotter.
No time will be served even if he has past bad deeds, but they will hit him in the pocketbook.
Yeah the environmental police should be around more often,every one can basically get away with anything.
Unless someone calls it in its a free for all,last week i saw a black dude leave with 2 striped bass and im sure he would take more if it was dark.
Get to work epo,check 5hose liscences do your job!!!!!!##
Its always the “Black Guy” ! What a bunch of Rats
Job well done. We all know this was not his first time. Great job to the caller
Because nobody on here Never took a Natural resource that they weren’t supposed to right ? Give MD a break !!! Do gooders my rear end !!!
I haven’t and I never will. If there were way less people and all our fisheries were as they were 200 years ago I wouldn’t care but that’s just not the case so we have regulations. If nobody followed them, there would be no fish simple as that. I and everyone else who gives a damn will keep an eye out for you like I do other poachers and call the MEP when appropriate.
You’re like the kid who snitches to teacher in class
I understand that we need to obey limits and laws in place, and know it’s all about the $$$$$$$ but yet in the beginning of creations God created it all so we may enjoy and live in abundance. So why do we need a license when it’s God who created it all. Greed greed greed its $$$$$$ root of all evil.
it he didn’t need a license to pilot that boat. Just to catch the fish. The irony of it is just ludacris! Go figure.
It’s simple math, fishing licenses pay for boat ramps, public access areas and law enforcement. God’s dead, he was killed by science and overpopulation so now we need to manage our fisheries because that’s reality.
Good job catching this guy. But I disagree with a lot of people, in that I don’t think they should take the guy’s boat. Civil asset forfeiture has gone way too far as it is. He should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, and if the fines imposed force him to sell his boat, well that’s too bad for him. He shouldn’t have poached. The government however, needs to stop the confiscation of private property. That said, throw the book at him.
Why is it necessary for MEP to withhold this ahole’s name and blur out his pictures so he can’t be identified?
What is the maximum penalty for such a violation? Anyone know?
I bet this guy was planning on selling them to make a killing. I bet this wasn’t the first time he’s done it either.
His name is Belmiro Baptista. He is a Portuguese native but resides in Pawtucket, RI. He was commercially licensed and had 4 other violations in the past year. PIECE OF SH#T! Deport his stupid as#! He can live in our country but laws don’t apply to him you know.
He has had 4 citations in the last year. He claimed to be a commercial fisherman. His name is BELMIRO BAPTISTA of Pawtucket, R.I. 65 . giving us old timers a bad name…
GREAT JOB: Harbormaster JILL SIMMONS and
Georgia Sparling of the Sippican Village Soup .com
I tried posting this losers name and info about his past violations. Whoever moderates must be worried about the bums rights and what not. He should be shamed to no end and sent back to his native country. A disgusting human being for sure. Waste of oxygen!
I’m from the Outer Banks NC (live in Somerset Ma. Now)…..they would have lost their boat, trailer, truck and everthing they had with them and could not get a Nc fishing license ever again.
Danny G unfortunately here in Massachusetts instead of confiscating his boat and gear. He will probably receive a small fine and a few hours of community service…and be right back at it next week!
I really hope that meat was at least put to good use. It would make a mighty fine meal for a homeless shelter in the area.
I hope the fine is “per fish.” You have to hit him where it hurts, revoking his fishing privileges does nothing because he had no license anyway. Revoke his drivers license and see how he likes that, P.O.S.
Put him in a open casket standing upright, strapped in alive in front of a bait shop holding a sign saying I’M A POACHER everyday for the season.
He has a facebook page with a nice photo of himself sitting on top of his poach-coach. Will be interesting to see how this story plays out. Great job getting this scumbag off the water.
https://www.facebook.com/belmiro.baptista.18
This guy was a deliberate abuser of the fisheries. That said, I’m unsure what kind of fisherman he is. They cited and arrested him as if he were a recreational fisherman. However, if he’s got a big boat and is pulling in 153 fish in 1 trip with hidden holds, he clearly is a commercial guy. And usually, when they withhold the names, it’s for commercial guys, but he was clearly cited for not having a rec. saltwater license.
Can’t believe they didn’t release his name and blurred out the reg numbers. Throw the book at him.
He must of made some cash having a boat like that and a truck to tow it, remember back in the 80s the one strike thing with pot on a boat, gone, take the boat and the truck, your done, bye. just my 2cents.
Jail time isn’t necessary as he isn’t harmful to society. Drug dealers, thieves, murders and rapist belong in jail, not a guy who is disobedient to environmental regulations. I don’t condone his actions but I’m sure the judge will sentence him with a suitable fine. It’s not right to call someone a scumbag or derogatory names, for taking fish. Allow the law to process the way it’s designed and worry about your own welfare.
One or two fish over the limit would be considered ‘disobedient to environmental regulations’. 153 fish out of season is an entirely different matter altogether. He is a repeat offender and knew exactly what he was doing. Hiding this resource in secret holds on board–a disgusting sense of entitlement. He has taken these fish away from all of us now and in the past, and will continue to do so. Yes, he has earned the name scumbag, among others.
Van, while I agree with you that this guy shouldn’t be lumped in with murderers and rapist. The fact is that a fine will not stop this illegal activity. The only way to stop it is to take his boat and gear, sell it at auction and use that money to continue the never ending fight against the poachers.
I think it would be a conflict of interest if the bank still owns the boat loan. Now the state has to deal with more legal issues of seizing and bank selling bank properties.
Van, you’re wrong; this guy is a scumbag and a criminal and should get some jail time. Note the following: The operator was issued a criminal summons and his boat, trailer, and fishing gear were seized by the Commonwealth. The fish were sold and the proceeds will go through a civil process.
They are pieces of shit and any other thing people call them!!!! And yes jail is appropriate
Make him eat all the seabass raw with no sauce….
To report illegal fishing activity you can call the Massachusetts Environmental Police Radio Room 800-632-8075 at any hour of the day.
They should check more boats more often C what’s really going on
Do away with most bottom dragging and make most fin fisheries rod and reel. Employs more people, Saves demersal fish habitats and addresses the by-catch and undersized issues. Since this makes too much sense it won’t happen. Vote for me. I’ll get it done.
WHAT IS THE REG… Can a mass resident launch in R.I. catch black sea bass in Ma. waters, then return into R.I. with the days catch???
FROM FACEBOOK/MASS. ENV. POLICE: NOTE THAT THE BOAT AND GEAR WERE SEIZED!
Excerpt – With the assistance of the Wareham Harbormaster, a full inspection of the catch was conducted; upon completion it was determined that the vessel was in possession of 209 Sea Bass over the limit, 122 of which were undersized. The owner is a commercial permit holder but does not possess a recreational saltwater fishing license. There were 5 other passengers on the vessel, 1 of whom had a recreational saltwater fishing license, there was also a minor onboard. There is a recreational limit of 5 black sea bass per person, with a minimum size of 15-inches. The legal possession limit of black sea bass for this vessel would have been 10 fish, 15 inches or larger. The passengers were issued civil citations for fishing without a salt water recreational license, possession of over the limit sea bass, and possession of undersized seabass. The operator was issued a criminal summons and his boat, trailer, and fishing gear were seized by the Commonwealth. The fish were sold and the proceeds will go through a civil process.
[…] in the month, Massachusetts Environmental Police arrested a poacher in Mattapoisett for possessing 153 sea bass prior to the season […]
[…] two recent reports of black sea bass poachers caught with 219 sea bass on May 29 in Wareham and a May 18 bust in Mattapoisett […]
These people doing this here are illeagles or undocumented. They will get their POS boat back a monetary award and the cops reprimanded for their racist behavior