Man Caught Short Fluke For Friends Fishing Recreationally: DEC

MONTAUK, NY — A fisherman was nabbed using his commercial license to keep short fluke for friends fishing recreationally, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation said.

According to the DEC, on May 9, DEC environmental conservation officers Ike Bobseine and Rob McCabe joined the U.S. Coast Guard out of Montauk for a combined patrol on Great Peconic Bay.

The patrol included radiation screening of vessels, fishing regulation checks, and boating safety compliance checks, the DEC said.

Throughout the day, multiple vessels were boarded and inspected. The officers found both equipment and fishing violations.

While aboard one vessel with four passengers, the ECOs determined that the fisherman, who claimed he was fishing commercially, was using his commercial license to keep short fluke for his friends who were fishing recreationally, the DEC said.

When asked to produce the required vessel trip report for commercial fisherman, the fisherman was unable to do so; he was issued a ticket and is due to appear at East Hampton Town Justice Court, the DEC said.

Patch photo courtesy DEC.