The Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) charged four recreational anglers and one commercial angler with possession of striped bass during closed season in two separate incidences.
On March 14, NRP Officers charged John Edward Smith III, 57 of Shadyside, with possession of striped bass during closed season, commercially possessing striped bass with out a striped bass allocation card, failing to display tidal fish license on his vehicle while transporting seafood and failure to attend to his drift gillnet. Officers saw Smith commercially fishing a drift gill net for white perch in the Rhode River, near Shadyside, Anne Arundel County. Officers watched Smith leave the nets and return to his house. Officers contacted Smith at his home and recovered six striped bass that were in his possession. A court date has been set for April 20th, in the District Court of Maryland for Anne Arundel County.
On March 16, at 12:30 am, NRP Officers charged Adrian Bonilla, 42 of Lanham, Rayes Martinz, 53 of Brentwood, Bonilla Glorismel, 27 and Enrri Salamanca, 34 of Greenchapel, with possession of striped bass during closed season and fishing without a Chesapeake Bay Sport fishing license at the Kent Narrows Bridge in Queen Anne’s County. NRP found the individuals with seven striped bass from 22” to 38” in length. A court date of April 25 has been set in the District Court of Maryland for Queen Anne’s County.
NRP reminds anglers that it is illegal to possess striped bass taken from the Chesapeake Bay or its tributaries. The striped bass season opens on April 21 in selected portions of the Chesapeake Bay. Anglers can consult the following web site for more information regarding striped bass season http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/no_page2.asp?page=/fisheries/regulations/sbrecseasons/sbregmap01.html.
