While it’s always frustrating to hear of people poaching stripers, or any fish for that matter, it brings me much Christmas joy knowing the striped bass poachers were caught red-handed by New York’s hard-working ECOs.
In a recent press release, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation shared the following report after responding to a complaint of striped bass poachers in Queens County.
On Dec. 3, ECOs Farner and Clinger received a complaint about an individual taking fish illegally at Breezy Point in Queens County. The Officers approached the angler when he returned to his vehicle, but the subject was not in possession of any visible fish, just a backpack with a strong fish odor. The ECOs searched the area and discovered a bag approximately 100 yards from the parking lot and hidden in some woods that contained six undersized striped bass. As the Officers were leaving the area, they observed the subject’s car driving back to the fishing access site. They followed his vehicle and caught the subject searching in the woods for the bag the Officers had retrieved. ECOs ticketed the subject for possession of over-the-limit and undersized striped bass. The six striped bass ranged from 17 and 25 inches. The allowable catch limit for striped bass in marine waters is one per day between 28 and 31 inches.
Undersized striped bass caught illegally at Breezy Point in Queens County. (Photo courtesy of NYSDEC)
Then again, just two days later, the NY ECOs recognized more signs of striper poaching on Staten Island.
On Dec. 5, ECOs Farner and Clinger observed four anglers catching striped bass and quickly putting the fish into bags and coolers in Richmond County. The Officers approached the anglers and discovered 35 undersized striped bass. ECOs issued a total of eight tickets for possession of over-the-limit and undersized striped bass, returnable to Richmond County Court.
ECOs Farner and Clinger seize 35 illegally caught striped bass in Richmond County. (Photo courtesy of NYSDEC)
For anglers south of the George Washington Bridge, New York’s striped bass season lasts from April 15 to December 15. During that time, anglers are allowed 1 fish between 28 and 31 inches per person, per day.
North of the George Washington Bridge, the striped bass season spans from April 1 to November 30, with a daily limit of 1 fish between 23 and 28 inches per angler.
