Two Men Arrested In Connection with Illegal Landing and Sale of Striped Bass

[JohnR]

Hat's off to CT & RI environmental police

http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?Q=423486&A=2711

September 24, 2008

Two Men Arrested In Connection with
Illegal Landing and Sale of Striped Bass

Case involves Pawcatuck Fisherman and Rhode Island Seafood Dealer

The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) says a Pawcatuck, CT fisherman and a South Kingstown, RI seafood dealer have both been arrested in connection with the illegal landing and sale of striped bass.

The fisherman, Sean W. Bradshaw (DOB: 01/06/64) of Pawcatuck Ave., Pawcatuck, was charged with the landing/ sale of striped bass without a commercial license, commercial fishing without a vessel permit, possession of untagged striped bass and the commercial sale of scup without a license and during the closed season.

The seafood dealer, John J. Guerrieri (DOB: 03/31/58) of Sand Plains Road, South Kingstown, RI, was charged with buying seafood without a Connecticut seafood dealers license and operating a motor vehicle without a license.

The arrests took place Monday at Bradshaw’s home in Pawcatuck following an investigation by the DEP’s Environmental Conservation (ENCon) Police unit and the Rhode Island Environmental Police.

The Connecticut and Rhode Island environmental police acted on information that Bradshaw was catching bass and bringing striped bass back to his dock in the Pawcatuck River near his home. He would ice and store the fish at his home and Guerrieri, the Rhode Island seafood dealer, would then come to his house and buy them.

At the time of the arrest, Connecticut and Rhode Island officers seized 42 striped bass, total weight 971 pounds and 89 scup, total weight 87 pounds. With the fair market value for commercial striped bass at around $3.00 per pound, the estimated value of this bass was $2,913. All of the fish was donated to the Amos House in Providence, Rhode Island.