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Natural Resources Police Charge Three for Fishing Illegal Striped Bass Gill Nets
ROCK HALL — On Monday, January 3, the first day of the New Year for the Chesapeake drift gill net striped bass season, Maryland Natural Resources Police recently apprehended three subjects for harvesting striped bass illegally in the Chesapeake Bay near Swan Point.David L. Haas 46, William A. Beck 39, David L. Haas Jr. 26, all from Rock Hall were each issued citations for the following violations:
- Commercial Gill Net Restrictions (anchored gill net) to harvest striped bass
- Fishing for striped bass with gill net during restricted time
- Fishing for striped bass with gill net during restricted day
- Failure to properly mark gill net when fishing for striped bass
- Commercial size limits (possession of striped bass less than 18 inches in length).
Two gill nets, a mud anchor and 305 pounds of striped bass were seized as evidence. All of the charges have a maximum fine of $500 for first time offenders. In addition, if found guilty a person could be fined $1,500 per fish for a first offense and $2,500 per fish and revocation of fishing license for one to two years for a second offense.
Fourteen other illegally set gill nets were seized by NRP in the Rock Hall area of the Chesapeake Bay. These nets are still under investigation.
The Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) is an enforcement arm of the Department of Natural Resources. With an authorized strength of 214 officers and a dedicated staff of civilian and volunteer personnel, the Natural Resources Police provide a variety of services in addition to conservation and boating law enforcement duties throughout the State of Maryland. These services include search and rescue, emergency medical services, education, information and communications services on a round the clock basis. NRP is the only police force aside from the Maryland State Police that has statewide jurisdiction.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages more than 446,000 acres of public lands and 17,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland's forests, fisheries and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic and cultural resources attract 11 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland's effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state's number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov