Coast Guard To Step Up Striper Fishing Enforcement

OCEAN CITY- With the winter rockfish season kicking into high gear, the U.S. Coast Guard this week announced it will intensify its efforts to stop offshore poaching of Atlantic striped bass in federal waters.
In an effort to ensure the health of the striped bass population, the Coast Guard is working with recreational and commercial anglers in the mid-Atlantic region to raised awareness of the federal rules regarding striped bass. Atlantic striped bass may not be caught, harvested or possessed in the Exclusive Economic Zone, or EEZ, the Coast Guard is reminding anglers this week. The EEZ begins three nautical miles from shore and extends out to 200 nautical miles.
Many local anglers drift back and forth across the EEZ line, but the rules are significantly different on one side of the imaginary line than the other. While striped bass are typically found closer to shore, changing sea temperatures can cause them to migrate farther than three miles offshore. A person caught fishing for, or in possession of striped bass while in the EEZ is subject to significant civil fines.
The Coast Guard this week vowed to step up enforcement on striped bass fishing in the EEZ and is relying on the assistance of other anglers to report offenders. The public is encouraged to report any suspected poaching activity and has set up an Atlantic Striped Bass Reporting Hotline at 757-398-6399. Calls should include a description of the activity, those involved and the location and time of the suspected offense.
According to the Coast Guard, such information greatly increases the effectiveness of law enforcement operations. The Coast Guard also said it will devote as much attention to education as enforcement.
“The Coast Guard is working to educate recreational and commercial fishermen and charter boat operators on the federal regulations,” said Lt. Eric Leese of the Coast Guard’s Enforcement Branch. “By increasing awareness of the laws, we help protect the Atlantic striped bass population, ensuring our nation’s future generations have access to the same resources we have.”
Meanwhile, while the Coast Guard is stepping up its enforcement efforts in federal waters on the Atlantic side, the U.S. District Attorney’s Office for Maryland this week announced the indictments of four men allegedly engaged in a multi-year conspiracy during which they illegally harvested tens of thousands of pounds of rockfish on the Chesapeake.
Four commercial fishermen and one company were indicted this week for a criminal conspiracy involving the illegal harvesting and interstate sale of striped bass on the Chesapeake Bay. According to court documents, Michael D. Hayden, Jr. and his company, along with William J. Lednum, Kent Sadler and Daniel Murphy engaged in a multi-year conspiracy involving the illegal harvest of several thousand pounds of illegal rockfish, falsified documents filed with the state of Maryland and then transported and sold the poached stripers in interstate commerce.
In addition, after the investigation of the crimes began, Hayden allegedly attempted to manipulate some witnesses’ testimony while trying to outright prevent the testimony and cooperation of others. It is believed that in at least one incident, Hayden threatened to retaliate against another potential witness he believed was cooperating with investigators.
Hayden was arrested on Sept. 17 and has been charged with several counts of witness intimidation and retaliation. The charges for the alleged illegal harvesting of rockfish carry a possible term of incarceration of five years for each of the defendants. In addition, Hayden faces as many as 20 years for the witness intimidation and retaliation counts.