Sea bass bust !

[AndyS]

CPO Raker and Detective Harp apprehended a Cape May based fish pot fisherman that landed approximately 1200 pounds of black sea bass during the commercial closed season. Officers made the apprehension immediately after the vessel landed and the fish were quickly being loaded into a refrigerated truck destined for New York City markets. The fisherman failed to notify the Department prior to offloading the sea bass as required. In addition, 177 undersize black sea bass, undersized lobster, mutilated lobster, filleted marine finfish and closed season tautog were found landed by the vessel. CPOs determined that the fisherman, who is also a licensed state dealer, was also in violation for accepting black sea bass as a dealer during the closed season. The officers seized the illegal catch and processed the case. The same fisherman was apprehended in the past for closed season black sea bass and tautog violations. The seized fish were sold to a NJ permitted dealer for fair market value and twenty summonses were issued for the violations. Penalties for the violations include mandated black sea bass permit suspensions for both fisherman and his dealership.