CAPE COD – In response to receiving numerous complaints of Commercial Striped Bass Fisherman retaining Striped Bass prior to the commercial season opening, on Saturday evening the Massachusetts Environmental Police (MEP) conducted a saturation patrol of the Commercial Striped Bass fleet in the vicinity of southern Cape Cod Bay. The Patrol Boat Thomas Paine, 2 smaller patrol boats and one under cover surveillance vessel, conducted 60 vessel inspections. Six commercial vessels were found to possess Striped Bass prior to the season opening. Commercial fishermen are not prohibited from recreational fishing as long as they abide by the recreational rules and clip the right pectoral fin from any commercial sized fish. Officers confiscated 388 pounds of illegal Striped Bass with a marked value of approximately $2,400.00, fishing gear valued at $3,000.00 and issued approximately $1,000.00 in fines. Charges included Commercial fishing during closed season, over the limit striped bass, possession of striped bass without a clipped fin and operating without navigation lights.
At about 1:30 a.m. on Sunday, the MEP Officers were completing their paperwork and securing the patrol vessels when they overheard a broadcast on VHF channel 16. A vessel was reporting a collision and an altercation between the operators of two Commercial Striped Bass vessels. MEP Officer’s assisted the United States Coast Guard in their response to this call. No injuries were reported and the damage to the victim’s vessel was minor. The other vessel had allegedly swung a fish gaff at the victim after ramming the victim’s vessel twice. The other vessel could not be located.
Media release and photo furnished by Mass Environmental Police
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