Saturday, January 22, 2011

Watermen Charged For Dredging In Illegal Area

Annapolis, Md. (January 21, 2011) – On January 19, 2011, the Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) charged two Dorchester County watermen with illegally power dredging for oysters in Fishing Bay.
On December 31, 2010, NRP officers observed two vessels, the Lauren Taylor II and the Mary Grace, power dredging for oysters in a restricted area. An officer aboard an NRP patrol boat ordered the vessels to stop dredging in the restricted area. The officer attempted to obtain license and identification from the occupants of the vessels.
The captain of the Lauren Taylor II, Gary Wayne Taylor, 42 of Toadville, attempted to leave the area after he was asked for his oyster license and identification. Taylor was repeatedly ordered to stop his vessel, however he did not. The Lauren Taylor II was later found tied to a dock in Farm Creek in Dorchester County.
The officer was able to obtain the required information from the captain of the Mary Grace, Jason Bernard Spencer, 34 of Wingate.
Both Spencer and Hayden are charged with power dredging for oysters in a hand tonging area. Hayden is also charged with obstructing and hindering a police officer, failing to obey a lawful order and failure to have a tidal fish license available for inspection. A trial has been set for March 14, 2011 in the District Court of Maryland for Dorchester County.

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