ANNAPOLIS—An investigation by the Maryland Natural Resources Police and allied State and local agencies resulted in the charging of five anglers in Charles County last Friday for illegally fishing for Striped Bass in a spawning area and catching other protected fish.
Acting on information gathered during surveillance, NRP officers and members of the Southern Maryland Information Center watched as a group of people caught and kept Striped Bass from an area of the Potomac River that is closed to allow spawning. As the anglers left at 1:50 a.m., NRP officers and units from the Charles County Sheriff’s Office stopped them.
The Striped Bass were seized and donated to a food program for the needy. The fishing gear was taken and will be held pending court action.
The following individuals were charged with violations of Potomac River Fisheries Commission regulations:
William Michael Maske, 23, of Waldorf, for possession of Striped Bass in a closed season, a fine of $625 for five fish, and failure to display a sport fishing license, a $125 fine.
Thomas Howard Farrell, 35, of Brandywine, for possession of Striped Bass in a closed season, a fine of $625 for five fish, and failure to display a sport fishing license, a $125 fine.
Patrick Randolph Farrell, 36, of Mechanicsville, for possession of Striped Bass in a closed season, a fine of $625 for five fish, and failure to display a sport fishing license, a $125 fine. He also was charged under Maryland fishing regulations with possession of 21 Blueback Herring during closed season.
Chasen Robert Harrisson, 33, of Mechanicsville, for possession of Striped Bass in a closed season, a fine of $375 for three fish, and failure to obtain a sport fishing license, a $150 fine.
The fifth angler, Timothy Michael Smith, 40, of Upper Marlboro, was charged under Maryland fishing regulations with possession of 21 Blueback Herring during closed season.
Once plentiful, the River Herring were a popular species for recreational anglers to target in spring. But a statewide moratorium on their harvest was implemented on Dec. 26, 2011 to prevent extinction. Many states along the East Coast closed their River Herring fisheries. Only selected sustainable River erring fisheries in Maine, New York, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, North Carolina and South Carolina remain open. These fish are considered to be an important forage base for large predators, such as Striped Bass and Bluefish.
Source: Md. Dept. of Natural Resources