A New Hampshire Conservation Officer’s patience paid off big this past weekend. On a river in District 6, the seacoast district, the officer spotted a vehicle and boat trailer parked at a launch typically used by duck hunters and fishermen. Rather than move on, the officer waited. About an hour and a half later, after dark, a boat with three fishermen came in.
Something about their mannerisms tipped the officer off that all wasn’t right. A check of the catch confirmed it.
New Hampshire’s limit is 25 white perch per person, so the three anglers could legally have kept 75 fish between them. They had 183. That’s 108 fish over the limit.
The anglers received multiple heavy fines. Upon conviction, they’ll also lose their saltwater fishing privileges for a year.
White perch are a popular, accessible target, and limits exist to keep those fisheries healthy for everyone who fishes them. Know the bag limit before you leave the dock, and if you see something that doesn’t look right, report it. New Hampshire’s Operation Game Thief lets you do that.
Source: NH Fish and Game Law Enforcement Division and Operation Game Thief