Poachers nets nabbed
 

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/b...,3432078.story

Got to love the feel good stories. Lets hope the judge gives them a hefty fine when caught.

It is a culture of corruption!!!

The problem is, the DNR jumped the gun and pulled the net BEFORE they caught the culprits fishing it. At this point in time, they have no case. They should have waited and then confiscated the boat and trucks used to transport the catch, and put the thieves in jail with BUBBA for awhile. Another screw up.

It's hard to tell why NRP didn't put a stake out on the nets. Maybe they thought that they needed to get the net and secure the fish before they were no good. Tough to judge some one when you don't have all the facts. I applaud the NRP for the job they are doing...........Gary

How many PSCR trips would I have had to make to kill that many fish at <1% mortality:mad:.

What happened to the NEW camera's mounted to keep an eye on the bay?

At least they lost their nets:rolleyes:.

5th (Marty)

Nets are cheap, they didn't lose much. My best guess would be that somebody turned the dirt bags in to begin with, and that somebody ALSO TOLD the culprits that they had been ratted out. That's why DNR didn't maintain surveillance for any amount of time, because they pretty much knew the bad guys weren't coming back.

Just so it is pointed out.... 3 Tons of striped bass on the commercial is only worth $15,000 on the commercial market. That is a whopping $2.50 per pound. What a wasteful use of a valuable resource.:confused:

What do you think 6000lbs of striped bass is worth in recreational fishing dollars? :)

Hopefully this adds fuel to the fire with the MSSA reallocation initiative.. I personally am hoping that a reallocation leads to hook and line only harvest. :cool:

Just so it's pointed out.
We know commercial watermen set those nets because????

To much coincidence.
We know someone from MSSA didn't set those nets because????

Personally, I wouldn't put it past either CCA or MSSA. They both want a quota reduction from the commercial side. What better way to stir things up.

Reds... where you have you been? Where are your nets :D

I think the culture of corruption speaks for itself to who set the illegal nets...

Prove it.

I know first hand of some of the deeds your fishing club members have done.
I wouldn't put this past them or you for that matter.

Accuse me. Right back at you. Must of been tight in that piece of Sh!T boat with all those nets.

I love conspiracy theories. I rarely believe them but they are always fun to hear...

Besides, I have an alibi. I havent towed my boat since I was accused of towing an over-wide load. :D

6000lbs of fish valued at 2.50 a pound???? Really? :confused:

Reds, Do you really think 900 yards of nets were laid by a recreational fisherman. Yes, recs do poach but not on that level. I would condemn any poaching whether it be a comm or a rec. and don't see any difference between them............Gary

KENT ISLAND, Md. -- Maryland Natural Resources police have seized 3 tons of illegally caught rockfish in the Chesapeake Bay off Kent Island.

Natural Resources police spokesman Sgt. Art Windemuth said an officer discovered a 900-yard anchored gill net off Bloody Point on Monday night. Police staked out the net all night, hoping to catch the poachers. When none showed up Tuesday morning, officers started pulling the net up to reduce effects on the fishery.

Windemuth said it took from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. to retrieve all the fish. Officers had to stop loading fish onto the patrol boat and called in an ice breaker for help.

The fish will be sold or donated to shelters.


There is why they did not stake out the nets any longer............Gary

No I don't believe a rec fisherman did this.

My suspicion is that it is a set up by members of a conservation group. Either MSSA or CCA.

All over the media and in the paper the same day it happens. Yeah right.

CCA members did it in Florida to discredit commercial fisherman and push their agenda along. Why not here???


You don't have to have a commercial license to buy a net.

A popular illegal fishing area :confused:

In other words, they know who did it. They just didnt catch them in the act. Therefore, they dont have enough evidence to prosecute.


Sounds like DNR is working hard:
http://www.wboc.com/Global/story.asp?S=13949133

I think too many people are watching Jesse Ventura's " Conspiracy Theory":D...........Gary

I'm not a CCA member, but you've got me curious about this story now. Can you provide a link to this?

Well that's the purpose of the DNR right? Glad they pulled it when they did.

If you bothered to read the whole story(see Crabby & Son post above) or http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/o...,4455242.story and not just an abbreviated post on the internet you would understand that they did attempt to catch the poacher by staking out the area overnight. After that they acted in the best interest of the resource. The problem is not DNR jumping the gun.

Second net with similar catch and similar length pulled:

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/o...,4455242.story

I confirmed it is not just a rerun of the initial story. This is a second bust.

Wanna know who set the nets - a criminal - plain and simple. Whether a rec or comm.
Poacher is not a strong enough word.

Whom ever it was is a thief - stealing from the honest comm and recs.

Reds - I do not see a group setting the net. Yes , they could gain some media coverage but think of the fall out if they were caught. Something that sneaky would likely shut a group down. Seems to me - far more to lose then to gain.

Plus - not likely a lot would change from it - we all know how things are ran at DNR.

Real thing to focus on would be to catch these criminals and demand a very harsh sentence.

I DID read the whole story. Staking out the net for one night wasn't long enough. They should have stayed with it until they caught the perps. Whatever fish that would have been lost would be well worth it, if it amounted to catching the bad guys and getting a conviction. After all, they spent YEARS catching the guys operating in D.C..

Those rock fish spent MANY more years growing than any previous investigation lasted. The main job of the DNR is to protect the natural Resources and that is what they did. These fish are living creatures. Do you let all of them die waiting for a poacher that might show up? Whatever NRP does, it is not going to please everybody. When a fireman goes to a fire, they save the people first and then try to save the structure...................Gary

Looks like I need to send Marty Gary (DNR) a proposal on a piece of "white paper" to open PSCR back up without restrictions:D.
5th (Marty)

I tend to agree with this. I believe catching the people would have probably saved more fish in the long run. But hey, DNR made their call and possibly the fact that most convictions lead to a slap on the wrist played a part in it too.

Greg, This is a cat and mouse game. Often the mouse knows where the cat is and the cat knows where the mouse is. I have been on many stake outs and most times nothing happens because somewhere or some how there was a leak. NRP works off of intelligence collected and acts accordingly. I commend NRP for finding the 2 nets and removing them. The perpetrators will eventually get caught. Every one in a jail cell said, " I'll never get caught"...........Gary

When DNR had an air unit - it often flew from Easton air field.

Not a well kept secret - poachers would watch when the air unit was in the sky and when it was on the ground. They even knew roughly how long it could stay up there. When it was being prepared for a flight - poachers were alerted and started heading in.

I bet some one did tip off the poacher that DNR had found his nets. Really not that many boats out this time of year - small Whaler sticks out. The nets were reported to be anchored - boat holding over that spot had to alert the poacher that his nets were found.

I'd like to know what the small cabin style outboard boat was doing in the shipping channel, off of Bloody Point Monday morning.

The NRP have an ongoing investigation to find out who these nets belong to. Investigators will be talking to people and making some deals. They will be researching recent purchases of nets. People like to talk and that's what gets most of them caught. Just because they didn't get them red handed tending the nets, that doesn't mean that they won't be caught. More than anything else, the good, honest watermen will suffer the allocation loss and they too will talk. Let NRP work this investigation before judging their actions or motives. I believe good things will come from this and most of the fish were saved to sell............Gary

Not sure who is to blame. This was probably a commercial netter, but until someone is caught, we can't say for sure. Lets hope someone is caught and punished, this type of activity does not help the folks that follow the regulations.

Just wondering what's $6K to an organization like MSSA or even CCA? Probably a drop in the bucket?

What would stop someone in that group from buying 6000 ft of net. Setting out 3 -2000ft strings in different locations. Call DNR and give them the gps coordinates to the first one. Next day give them the gps coordinates to the 2nd one and then the same on the 3rd day.

How are they to lose?

It's a win, win, win situation -

1) Fish that are caught apparently get counted against the Commercial Quota so no more actual fish are taken from the water.

2) Money from those fish does not go to the honest Commercial fisherman, but to the DNR working to put the honest guy out of business.

3) Publicity - "Look at what those thieving Commercial waterman did, see what we are trying to stop"


But you're probably right Reds theory is just a conspiracy....yeah I bet.

You are right it may have been someone besides a commercial guy. Its hard to believe an organization would sponsor such as idea, but maybe a member of an organization. But who knows, it may have been a commercial guy as well. Until more information is known and someone is caught its just speculation.

3rd bust...

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/o...,4455242.story

Wow...

Timely with Griffin's reply wasn't it?

Giving a week difference in the verbal and written reply, makes the net setting, just about right. How do they hide the expense? Write off as Donation to NRP?

Anything is possible but I'm sure the truth will eventually come out and whoever did it will have a big problem on their hands...........Gary

Just the tip of the iceberg...
 

Keep up the great work DNR.

And when our Rec season opens, I hope the DNR has the staff and money to watch the many piers and ramps.

All poachers steal from all of us.

I see Brandy on Toilet Flush is putting up $2000 to aid in a petition.

$2000 will buy more net to call DNR about.

Will the 27' cork hold 900 yards?

Reds; I can only assume (and you know what they say about assuming) that you are a commercial waterman. I feel your pain. I am all pissed about PSCR and it is only a hobby of mine to fish. If fishing were my livelyhood, and someone was trying to either reduce it (as MSSA has called for), or shut down (as many rec's have called for), I too would be pi$$ed and very angry.

But, I think if you channeled your anger toward those that are causing the problem (poachers-both rec and comm), you would have more credibility. It does nothing to critisize Greg's boat. It's a wasted effort.

However, if I was the head of the Md Watermen (Larry Simms?), I would be calling for the strictest punishment possible for those who set those nets. If it was MSSA or CCA (which I personally think is a stretch), then those organizations should be banned from future fishing negotiations. And, if we find out they were set by commercial netters, I (Larry Simms) would be calling for the culprits (if found) to lose their gear (boat included), their liscense, and be banned from the water as a way to make a living.
Calling for such strict reprocussions on the poachers might stop the movement to ban ALL netting in the Chesapeake Bay.

I'll say this so you don't have to; I hope the above doesn't come across as "the pot calling the kettle black". I know I am guilty of calling out Brandon at every opportunity because of what he did to PSCR. And, I get the fact that you want to call out Greg because he endorses the MSSA position on restricting the net quota, however, you now have a bigger problem on your hands (a call for a complete ban on nets).

Encourage Larry Simms to work with DNR to remove all illegal nets from the bay in order to keep commercial watermen fishing and providing for their families.

I hope you take this in the "spirit" that it was intended. I can't say "I know how you feel", because it's not my "way of life" that's being threatened.

I believe serious reprocussions are going to be announced next year after DNR "reviews" the stock assessment in 2011. Both rec and comm are going to take a hit. Comm's, as well as rec's, need to get their house in order to help preserve their opportunity to catch these magnificent fish.

5th (Marty)

Wow - this really is sounding like the Twilight Zone - there were only 2 nets found when I posted this........hmmmm....how did I guess there would be more?

Probably not some conservation group though. I mean Whale Wars is just a TV show. Right? GreenPeace doesn't really exist.....

Latest on TV is that the NRP may have used the black gps devises to track boats suspected of illegal activity. I hope they had a court order to place these on specific boats (sort of like a court order for wire tapping).

If they didn't have a court order, I will be screaming just as loud as the watermen.

Big Brother better have his ducks in order. If it was done legally, I don't know why DNR said they didn't know who layed the nets, and that catching the perp's would be a longshot.

5th (Marty)

On the way off chance these nets were put out by some one other then a commercial fisherman - how did they manage to set them just right to be loaded with fish ? A long gill net is not simple to deploy correctly.

Wait - Skip is friends with Greg - must have used his scuba gear to put Rockfish in the nets :rolleyes:

I really hope the poacher (s) are caught.