With the striped bass season opening in two days, ECOs Connor Dodge and Zachary Kochanowski patrolled Pelham Bay Park on the evening of April 13. The area is popular with local fishermen and complaints had been received about striped bass being kept before the season opened. Four separate groups of fishermen were found to be in possession of striped bass, including one group with seven fish and another group with six. Only one fish was still alive and released. In total, 15 out-of-season striped bass were seized and 11 summonses were issued. In waters south of the George Washington Bridge, the legal season began on April 15, and the daily possession limit is one striped bass per fishermen, 28 inches or larger in total length.
15 out-of-season striped bass seized in a single night at Pelham Bay Park
Perch Poachers Apprehended - Erie County
After receiving numerous complaints of people illegally netting perch on the Niagara River, ECOs Jamie Powers and Tim Machnica patrolled the area in plain clothes on April 11. The ECOs located a vehicle from a previous complaint and watched as three individuals worked together to scoop large numbers of perch from the water using nets and then take buckets of fish back to the vehicle. When the ECOs identified themselves to the subjects, 3,537 yellow perch, 187 carp, 14 rock bass, and 2 sunfish were found in the subjects' possession. A total of 14 summonses for various fishing violations were issued to the three subjects. Fortunately, most of the fish survived and were returned to the water.
