Beware Herring Poachers!

[Bliz]

Does anyone have an after hour phone number that will get me directly through to the Rhode Island DEM police?

If so, can you post these phone numbers up for all of us?

Feel free to include Mass numbers as well!

I am sick & tired of seeing poachers at the Herring runs show up with large nets as well as a host of other idiots who are ruining things for all of us.

Since we have an advantage of cell phones in this day and age, we should all have DEM's number programmed in for moments when we encounter idiots like the ones I saw last night and a host of other times...

It is these morons who are going to make things harder on the majority of us who abide to the regulations, as access becomes less and less available for all.

I personally intend to make a difference in taking a stand against this!...

Even if it means exposing only one idiot at a time!...

I appreciate any responses.

Thanks!

[bart]

im not sure if this helps but here the DEM #'s. RI-401 222 3070 and MA 1800 632 8075. did you get their plates?

[Fishguts]

Hey Blitz, if you ever get out to the Waltham Ma run you will find little posters every where. On them you will find the regulations, times the run is open and a friendly little reminder that vigil anti herring cops that are on the prowl. It seems to work last year the police department was on daily duty at the run don’t ask me how that worked out but they where there.

[Rappin Mikey]

Yeah, the run I've been going to for years is now closed to try and "rebuild the stock". That isn't going to stop the guy who is settin up nets up stream who is one of the major contributors to the decline in numbers coming through the run.

[Notaro]

Take a fake cop badge and flip it quickly and tell them that you are a DMP officer and you can bust their ass w/o a cuff... thats one way u cld do it.

[The Dad Fisherman]

This may be the age of technology but it is also the age of psychopaths. Notaro I wouldn't approach people w/ a fake badge and try to harass them....You could wind up dead. Bliz has the right Idea, get as much info as you can and call the authorities.

[redlite]

Also by flipping the badge, they can now get YOU for "illegally impersonating a police officer".

[thefishingfreak]

call the local police,
someone posted a little while ago on this subject that the local police have a job to "enforce the law" poaching herring is against "the law"
this is not just an enviromental police law! this is a state law!!
mike

[B-assman]

Dad - I agree - beware the psychopaths - but watching these people is so maddening that it makes you feel like you have to do something. Here's a thought

Many of us now have cell phones with cameras built in. How about taking a picture of the offenders (while pretending to be calling someone). Then write down their license plates and email all the info to the authorities.

Any law enforcement folks out there care to comment upon the admissibility of such evidence???

[Bliz]

That opens up a whole new can of worms...

I like Fishingfreaks input, and I will try calling local authorities as well...

ANOTHER GREAT IDEA MIKEGUIVER!!!

[Bliz]

What's absurd are those who try to justify poaching because of what "the commercial fishermen are doing"...

Fact is, we have no right in even trying to approach that debate if we cannot adhere to our own stewardship responsibilities at the inland runs!!!

I hope that others like myself have seen enough to want to be more active in policing these situations as we encounter them.

I'm all for helping the local authorities in this situation!...

Anyone else agree?...


If so, get active!...

[Van]

Heard at the MSBA meeting last night that some poachers were caught at the Weymouth run. Several were told to leave, a couple were CUFFED !!!
Kudos to the Weymouth police...

[Bliz]

[179]

There should be no warnings it should be an automatic fine for poaching.

I came upon my local run last week just when an argument was breaking out, apparently a couple guys from Ct had been in the stream for hours taking much more than the allotted amount. DEM was called but they never showed, and the guys from Ct left as soon as the telephone call was placed. The guys who had been in the stream said they took close to 40 herring a piece.

[jugstah]

Perhaps someone can sit down with the DMF and see about creating a volunteer organization to police this situation using citizens on cellphones.

[KLMulder]

Hey Bliz

Those guy's chapped my A$$ last night as well. I will be programing the DEM and local Police # into my phone. It sucks for us all when this goes on.

[Bliz]

It's a great idea if the enforcement division will provide a quick response to give teeth to the initiative...

There should be a law put into affect that requires a manditory fine for violators that goes into a fund for further efforts & more patrols...

Maybe they ought to put a small percentage of the fine out as a bounty for the dime-droppers!...

Now that would be incentive!...

[Bliz]

Thanks Dennis!

The Number is:

(800) 498 1336 Enforcement Division for Rhode Island.

Please program this into your phone in case the need arises.

[Nebe]

Stick 3 herring in the tailpipe and call me in the morning

[soup]

The best number for Rhode Island DEM is the number already posted. (401) 222-3070. Here is a link that should also be of interest.
State of Rhode Island DEM Complaint numbers

[redcrbbr]

probably easier to install cameras, just send the summons out in the morning. sure once word got around it would come to a quick stop.

[thefishingfreak]

we need 'bigfish' and his vigalante gun toting herring run deputes to step in...

[Westport Jeff]

The number for the Mass Environmental Police is 1-800-632-8075.

There is a 6' wide stream that connects Westport Harbor to a salt pond. I have seen the poachers put a fence across the stream and fill 55 gallon drums with herring.

Each year there are fewer and fewer herring in this run.

I picked up this number at the MSBA show. If I see these guys again I will be calling.

[Bliz]

It may be worth your while to walk up stream to check things out once in awhile...

I plan on doing that very thing around some of the runs I go to...

[jugstah]

Carry a videocamera, and be very discreet, let the camera capture those guys taking herring out, and then submit to the DEM, DMF, whatever, and let them see for themselves.

[Moose Nuckle]

How about this. Next time you go by the runs when they are giving out herring ask the game warden you want to be sworn in as a game warden. I'm sure they are looking for help.