Maryland NRP Charge Five Watermen for Oyster Fishing on Sanctuary

     Deale Island, Md. -- The Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) have charged five watermen, on three boats, power-dredging for oysters in the Tangier Sound Oyster Sanctuary.

     On January 20, at 7:30 a.m., an NRP Officer aboard a Maryland State Police helicopter saw eight commercial boats power-dredging for oysters within the sanctuary. The officer was able to identify and plot locations of three of the boats before they scattered among the other commercial vessels working outside the sanctuary.

      NRP charged the following individuals with oystering in an oyster sanctuary:

John Earhart III, 32, and Jason Abbott, 30, both of Princess Anne, aboard Miss Terry.
David Wheatley, 47 from Deale Island, and Stephen Webster, 58 from Wenona, aboard Just Faith.
Daniel Benton, 49 from Deale Island, aboard Chantilly Lace.

     Under Governor Martin O’Malley’s leadership, increased law enforcement is part of an overall effort to deter poaching and toughen penalties for those who violate fishing laws in Maryland, under the Fisheries Management Reform Act of 2007. A noteworthy part of this effort is the launch of fresh enforcement initiatives and enhancements including the installation of a network of radar and camera units to assist the NRP in monitoring sensitive areas that are prone to poaching. DNR, the Office of the Attorney General and the District Court of Maryland have also expanded a successful program that sets aside specific days to try only cases dealing with natural resources violations.