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Friday, July 24, 2015

NRP Blotter

Four St. Mary’s County watermen are scheduled to appear in district court on July 31 on charges they illegally harvested thousands of pounds of undersized croaker and three protected species in the waters of Town Creek, a tributary of the Patuxent River.

Maryland Natural Resources Police officers charged Ryan Hamilton Lumpkins, 28, of Piney Point, Charlie Orbin Carter Jr., 33, of Callaway, Brian John Pierce, 40, of Piney Point, and Rodger Lee Wathen Jr., 43, of Lexington Park, with possession of about 3,500 pounds of undersized croaker. Additionally, they were charged with possession of 74 blueback herring, 11 hickory shad and seven American shad.

On May 12, officers received a complaint about a large number of dead fish floating near Town Creek. Searching the area, officers saw a vessel, theMcKenzie Leigh, unloading fish at a nearby pier.

The vessel was holding about 14,000 pounds of croaker and other species of fish, many appearing to be undersized. Seventeen NRP officers from four counties were assigned to measure the entire catch, an effort that took 12 hours.

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6 comments:

Steve said...

Excellent work, guys! I buy a license every year whether I fish or hunt at all, just to pay you for doing your job!

This is what I get, success!

Anonymous said...

According to this photo the fish were way undersized.One would question the rationale for keeping fish that small.

Anonymous said...

Cat food? Chum? Prison dinner? A giant fish fry?

Anonymous said...

driving a all terrain vehicle in the mountains now that's some serious crime. undersized croakers? wow I thought now matter how big they were they weren't worth keeping. Meanwhile omega corp in reedville va is raping the bay of menhaden and getting away with it because they are politically connected. never see them being checked or fined! lovely! maryland's NRP is a joke!
What's the point of throwing the fish back? so they can rot in the water?

Anonymous said...

One cannot just take the kings fish or play on his mountains, and heaven forbid if you have a couple of drinks while playing on his water.

Anonymous said...

831 - are you serious? 707, exactly