Watermen Charged for Oyster Sanctuary Violations

     Annapolis, Md. -- On January 10 at 9:30 am, the Maryland Natural Resources Police charged three people for oystering with in the Tangier Sound Oyster Sanctuary. The officers were on patrol in an 18-foot Boston Whaler in the fog on Tuesday morning and found five commercial workboats in the oyster sanctuary. The foggy conditions enabled the officers to get within about 200 yards of the vessels before the officers were spotted. Upon seeing the patrol boat, the five vessels attempted to flee the area. Officers were able to stop two of the vessels and identify the occupants.

     Officers identified the two occupants of the commercial vessel Lady Victoria as Thomas L. Ford, 51 and Ryan S. Ford, 32 both from Princess Anne. The second vessel was identified as the Miss Emily II and was operated by Albert Hoffman, 37 from Princess Anne. All three individuals were charged with oystering within an oyster sanctuary and face a $3,000 fine and a suspension of their tidal fish license. Five bushels of oysters were seized from each vessel and returned to the sanctuary. A trial date of March 13 has been set in the District Court of Maryland in Somerset County.