Tip Takes DEC Officer to Illegal Fisherman in Haverstraw

HAVERSTRAW, NY — A tip to the New York Department of Conservation paid off in Rockland County recently.

On the afternoon of Jan. 26, Environmental Conservation Officer Melissa Burgess received a tip that a man was illegally catching Striped Bass at the Haverstraw Marina and placing them in the trunk of his car, DEC officials said.

Just minutes from the marina, ECO Burgess quickly located the subject and the vehicle matching the description. As darkness set in, the suspect returned to his car, where ECO Burgess interviewed him. He initially claimed that he had no luck fishing that evening. He was unable to produce a fishing license and had a questionable driving record. He later admitted to catching fish and turned over a large Striped Bass that was hidden in the spare tire compartment of his car.

ECO Burgess explained that possession of a species during the closed season is illegal and the suspect was issued an appearance ticket returnable to Haverstraw Town Court.

Striped Bass season runs from April 1 through Nov. 30.

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Environmental Conservation Officers enforce the 71 Chapters of NY Environmental Conservation Law, protecting fish and wildlife and preserving environmental quality across New York.

In 2015, the 268 ECOs across the state responded to 25,000 calls and issued 22,000 tickets for crimes ranging from deer poaching to corporate toxic dumping and illegal mining, black market pet trade, and excessive emissions violations.

“From Montauk Point to Mount Marcy, from Brooklyn to Buffalo, the ECOs patrolling our state are the first line of defense in protecting New York’s environment and our natural resources, ensuring that they exist for future generations of New Yorkers,” said Commissioner Basil Seggos. “They work long and arduous hours, both deep in our remote wildernesses and in the tight confines of our urban landscapes. Although they don’t receive much public fanfare, the work of our ECOs is critical to achieving DEC’s mission to protect and enhance our environment.”

In New York, the Hudson River is the main spawning ground for striped bass, according to the DEC. In the spring, mature striped bass swim up to the headwaters of the Hudson to spawn. The fertilized eggs float downstream until hatching a few days after spawning. The bass larvae continue to move downstream until they reach the estuaries, areas such as Haverstraw Bay to the Tappan Zee Bridge. These areas function as nursery areas for the larvae and juvenile fish during the summer. By late summer and into fall, these "young-of-the-year" fish move into the estuaries of New York Harbor and western Long Island bays, where they will live until they are large enough to join the adults off the coast. Adult striped bass follow a seasonal migration pattern. They swim south and offshore from New York waters during the winter and migrate back north and inshore in the spring. In the spring, mature adults once again head up river to spawn.

PHOTO: A DEC biologist with a large striped bass. DEC file photo.