Annapolis, MD -- Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has announced that the 2011 commercial gill net season will be re-opened for two days, Friday, Feb. 25, and Monday, Feb. 28. The Department indicated opening the season for only two days would not threaten the fishing mortality rate nor would it risk the harvest going over the quota.
DNR had closed the season early in February after illegal nets were found in several locations resulting in the harvest of more than 10 tons of striped bass. Additional illegal nets and striped bass have been discovered since that announcement with the latest being Wednesday.
The Natural Resources Police will saturate waters on that Friday and Monday to check on compliance with the law, and DNR staff will monitor check-in stations where the striped bass are brought to the commercial market.
The Department also stated that recent events have shown there are issues that must be resolved in the gill net fishery and invited stakeholder groups, including the commercial industry, to develop reforms that would improve accountability.
“Naturally with the recent record of illegal activities in the gill net fishery we would have preferred that the season remained closed,” said CCA Maryland Executive Director Tony Friedrich. “However, the steps that both DNR and NRP are taking to enforce the law, reform the practice and protect the resource are positive. CCA MD looks forward to the process of reform, and will be watching closely to see whether future gill net fishing can be conducted in accordance with the law.”
Earlier this month CCA MD put forth a motion at the Sport Fish Advisory Commission meeting which was approved unanimously by the commissioners. The motion stated that the season should remain closed until the Department is able to conclusively demonstrate that illegal gill net fishing is under control,that illegal gill net fishing is under control.
Members respond to Talbot County court case
Approximately 75 CCA MD members contacted Talbot County State’s Attorney Richard Patterson calling for aggressive prosecution on a case against a waterman charged with repeated violations of oyster laws. The waterman was found guilty but given a reduced penalty. Richard Fluharty was charged with oystering with a suspended license and possessing unculled/undersized oysters. He was given a $1,000 fine and a 60-day jail sentence, 50 days of which were suspended.
Friedrich was quoted in the Baltimore Sun this morning saying, "CCA Maryland is floored that this habitual offender got nothing more than a slap on the wrist."
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