Angling after hours and illegal fish sales are topping this week’s fishing compliance checks across the state:
ECOs Goonan and Swart received a tip reporting individuals selling striped bass from the sidewalk in Flushing, Queens. The ECOs responded to the location under an overpass and found a makeshift stand featuring untagged striped bass for sale. The Officers seized nine fish and issued a New York City summons for the attempted sale.
ECO Grogan received a call at approximately 2:30 a.m. reporting a large group at the Black Hole, a popular fishing location on the Salmon River in the town of Richland, Oswego County. Fishing is not permitted at night on the Salmon River. After calling Officers Brown and Zullo for assistance, ECO Grogan arrived at the location and quickly noticed an individual in the parking lot serving as a lookout for the anglers. To bypass the lookout, the Officer remained hidden and used thermal night vision, observing anglers attempting to blind snatch salmon from the river. ECOs Grogan and Brown eventually surprised the men, ordering them to place their fishing gear on the ground as Officer Zullo gathered salmon already on stringers. The Officers apprehended 11 anglers and issued 26 tickets for violations including possession of weighted hooks, snag hooks, snatching, fishing after hours, and failure to possess a fishing license.
While conducting routine inspections at fish markets in New York City, ECOs Broughton and Goonan observed an individual selling tautog, AKA blackfish, from the sidewalk during the closed season. The Officers discovered 12 tautog for sale, three times the legal possession limit if the fish were in season. ECOs educated the individual on regulations regarding tautog and issued a ticket returnable to New York City Criminal Court.
