Sep 26 2008
Fisherman Found With $3K Of Illegal Striped Bass
It’s long been maintained by many, including organizations like Stripers Forever, that there is a glaring problem with the ASMFC management plan for striped bass in that attributes zero allocation to illegal fishing for stripers. Fact is that illegal fishing happens and should be accounted. Why the ASMFC has decided not to account for it is crazy and shortsighted. Regardless, below is an example of what goes on and these are just guys that got caught.
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HARTFORD, Conn. — A Connecticut fisherman and a Rhode Island seafood dealer were arrested, accused of the illegal sale of striped bass.
The fisherman, Sean Bradshaw, 44, of Pawcatuck, was charged with the landing and sale of striped bass without a commercial license, commercial fishing without a vessel permit, possession of untagged striped bass and the commercial sale of scup without a license and during the closed season.
The seafood dealer, John Guerrieri, 50, of South Kingstown, R.I., was charged with buying seafood without a Connecticut seafood dealers license and operating a motor vehicle without a license.
The Connecticut and Rhode Island environmental police acted on information that Bradshaw was catching bass and bringing striped bass back to his dock in the Pawcatuck River near his home. He would ice and store the fish at his home and Guerrieri, the Rhode Island seafood dealer, would then come to his house and buy them, officials said.
The DEP’s Environmental Conservation Police unit and the Rhode Island Environmental Police investigated and both men were arrested Monday at Bradshaw’s home.
At the time of the arrest, Connecticut and Rhode Island officers seized 42 striped bass, total weight 971 pounds and 89 scup, total weight 87 pounds.
With the fair market value for commercial striped bass at around $3 per pound, the estimated value of this bass was $2,913. All of the fish was donated to the Amos House in Providence, Rhode Island.
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