[tlapinski]

I received the following from the NY DEC today.

On April 10 at around 11 p.m., ECO Lucas Palmateer was contacted by a complainant who had witnessed two males catching and keeping striped bass at Little Neck Bay, although the season for striped bass was not yet open. The complainant said that the fishermen were hiding fish in a car approximately 500 yards from their fishing spot. ECOs Palmateer and Zach Brown responded and watched the suspects fishing. One of the fishermen caught a striped bass, placed it in a black garbage bag, and began to walk to his car. The ECOs approached the man and spotted another striped bass in a bag in the trunk. The ECOs seized both fish and returned the live fish to the water. The ECOs issued the subject summonses for possession of striped bass out of season and failure to release caught fish during the closed season without harm.

While leaving the scene, the ECOs noticed three more males fishing at a popular fishing spot in Fort Totten Park. These fishermen were in possession of four additional striped bass. The subjects had also cut the heads off two of the fish, which is illegal in New York as it makes it impossible to determine the true length of the fish. ECOs Palmateer and Brown seized the fish as evidence and issued the three subjects summonses for possession of striped bass out of season. One of the subjects was also issued a summons for possession of mutilated striped bass carcasses. All tickets are returnable to Queens County Court on June 6.