Since the start of New York’s striped bass season in April, New York ECOs have been hard at work enforcing state fishing regulations. In a recent press release, the NYSDEC cited four separate instances of illegal activity surrounding striped bass fishing from Long Island to the Hudson River. Several individuals have been ticketed for keeping striped bass out of season, and outside of the legal slot size.
Note:North of the G.W. Bridge, the legal slot size for striped bass is 23 to 28 inches and the season is open from April 1 – November 30. In marine waters, the season is open from April 15 – December 15 and anglers must adhere to the coast-wide slot regulations, set in place by the ASMFC, of 28 to less than 31 inches.
An excerpt from the NYSDEC press release can be found below.
On April 13, ECOs Griffin and Ruffle responded to a complaint of anglers keeping multiple striped bass before the start of the season (April 15) at the Hempstead Shoreline Trail in Port Washington, Nassau County. Officers located the three anglers, found them in possession of nine striped bass, and ticketed each for taking fish out of season, returnable to Nassau County First District Court.
On April 25, ECO Steffen conducted fishing compliance checks along the Hudson River in Rockland County and observed several anglers around 1 a.m., keeping striped bass outside allowable size limits. Officers issued 13 tickets after discovering eight illegally caught fish. The charges included taking fish contrary to DEC regulations, fishing without a license, and failure to carry marine registry. Striped bass have both a minimum and maximum size for possession. Only fish between 28 – 31 inches may be possessed in marine waters and striped bass caught north of the George Washington Bridge must be between 23 – 28 inches. For more information on recreational marine fishing regulations, visit the DEC website.
ECO Nolan with illegally caught striped bass in Queens County. (Photo courtesy of NYSDEC)
On April 28, ECOs in Queens County ticketed anglers for taking striped bass outside the legal size limit. Officers Bieber and Toomey issued a total of five tickets to two anglers in the Far Rockaway for possessing eight striped bass outside the legal size limit, all returnable to Queens Criminal Court. Meanwhile, ECOs Baldwin and Nolan ticketed one angler in Little Neck Bay for taking undersized and over the possession limit of striped bass. Striped bass have both a minimum and maximum size for possession. Only fish between 28 – 31 inches may be possessed in marine waters and striped bass caught north of the George Washington Bridge must be between 23 – 28 inches. For more information on recreational marine fishing regulations, visit the DEC website.
