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Northern
Region
Southern Region District 5 CO’s have been starting the spring addressing the illegal riding of ATV’s on WMA’s in Camden and Gloucester Counties. CO’s Risher and Kille alone issued 18 complaints to illegal riders this month. Lt. Honachefsky and CO Kille responded to Winslow Wildlife Management Area to assist the Monroe Township Police in their investigation of a fatal ATV crash. In this case 5 friends and relatives were illegally riding on the management area when one rider on a dirt bike lost control of his bike and struck a tree. The rider was wearing a helmet but sustained significant injuries to his chest and leg. All attempts to revive the rider failed and he died at the scene. The Division’s deer management program recently sent several deer registration forms to the Southern Region Office for investigation. The data sheets indicated some of the hunters took deer during the closed season, failed to utilize a buck stub, or took sub legal animals in antler point restriction zones. Many of the possible violations were honest mistakes, or were committed by juveniles. In one case however CO’s Risher and Toppin found that a hunter had killed an 8 point buck during the permit bow season, and tagged the animal with his regular fall bow tag. An interview with the hunter resulted in the forfeiture of the antlers, and an admission from the hunter that he had attempted to circumvent the regulations. The appropriate complaints were issued. CO Toppin is now working with his second field training officer, CO Risher. The two officers were just beginning their patrol day when they were asked to respond to a complaint of an injured Bald Eagle. Personnel from the State Department of Transportation (DOT) reported an eagle lying along side the South bound lanes of Route 55 in the city of Vineland. DOT personnel stood by until the CO’s could arrive. The officers safely captured the bird and transported it to Tri- State Bird Rescue in Delaware. The mature female Bald Eagle, which had injuries consistent with a collision with a vehicle, was ultimately euthanized. All District 5 CO’s have been assisting District 6 CO’s with enforcement of regulations protecting river herring. The herring run has been somewhat spotty, however two fishermen were apprehended with over limits of 27 and 97 fish. The run should peak this coming week heading into the full moon tidal cycle. While patrolling Union Lake WMA, CO Batten encountered three subjects in a motor vehicle. All three individuals were smoking marijuana and were in possession of alcohol, while in the area after hours and littering. Appropriate summons were issued. CO Vazquez and CO Risher were able to obtain a $1500.00 court settlement from a ATV case where one subject tried to flee and had to be physically removed from the ATV and restrained. Officers from both District 5 and District 6 have been working long hours on the current herring run in Atlantic County. Working the tides to have the best impact when the herring are spawning, as many as eight officers from both districts have been working the Mays Landing and Head of the River areas Two of the largest cases had one fisherman and four fishermen with over the limits of 97 fish and 528 fish, respectively. Marine Region District 1,2 and 7 CO’s conducted regulatory inspections of fish markets, restaurants and grocery retailers in Bergen, Essex, Morris, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean and Somerset Counties during the months of January and February. A total of 36 facilities were inspected. The inspections resulted in the following violations: possess 4 undersized black sea bass for sale; possess 19 undersized scup for sale; offer striped bass for sale; fail to maintain accurate records; untagged shellfish (4 counts); fail to maintain shellfish tags (2 counts); wholesale of clams without possessing Dept. of Health certificate; and receiving clams as a wholesaler without possessing Dept. of Health certificate. Two cases have been settled: Great Wall Supermarket paid a $1,000.00 penalty for failing to maintain records; and Woolley’s Fish Market and hard clam supplier paid a total of $600.00 in fines for Dept. of Health certificate violations. The spring striped bass run along the Raritan Bay shore has heated up with numerous complaints received. On 4/8/08 Lt. Fresco and CO Soell apprehended four individuals for possession of 6 short striped bass and 1 fish over daily limit at the Keansburg Fishing Pier. A surveillance of these fishermen revealed them hiding their illegal catch in the trash cans on the pier. Earlier that day Lt. Fresco apprehended an individual with 4 short striped bass on the beach in Keansburg. This fisherman was observed concealing the fish between rocks and covering them with flotsam from the bay. In the early morning hours of 4/13/08, CO Jones apprehended four fishermen with 8 undersized striped bass in Cliffwood Beach. CO Jones strategically set up observation in a bayside parking lot and caught one of the fishermen running the fish to his vehicle. District 7 CO’s have responded to numerous fish kill complaints in the Navesink and Shrewsbury Rivers during March and April. The kills were limited to menhaden. Physical water data collected by the Monmouth County Health Department were within normal parameters. CO’s collected live fish samples and delivered them to Bill Stansley, Division Wildlife Pathologist. Mr. Stansley sent the fish samples to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Fish Health Center in Lamar, PA for necropsy and culture. The preliminary results from the lab indicate a bacterial infection, Vibrio ordalii, which is more common on the west coast in wild and cultured salmonids, although it can affect a wide range of marine species. The fish samples have been forwarded to the National Health Center for further testing. On 3/29/08 CO Petrucelli organized an inspection of Party/Charter Vessel Atlantic Star out of Wildwood Crest. COs James, Snellbaker and Lt. Canale assisted in the boarding of the vessel as it returned to the dock from an offshore trip targeting black sea bass. The boarding was in response to non-specific information received through various sources on the illegal sale of black sea bass by patrons of party and charter vessels during the winter seasons. As one of only two party vessels which was running trips during the winter season in southern New Jersey, patronage was high. Approximately 45 paying customers were inspected at the close of the 15-hour trip. Although compliance was high Conservation Officer’s issued one summons to a patron for possession of 15 black sea bass over the daily limit of 25 fish and one summons to another patron for interference by attempting to discard evidence of his violations. In addition, the patron was in possession of 46 black sea bass, several conger eels and parts of other black sea bass which had been legally filleted by the vessel under their NJ Fillet Permit. One of the vessel’s mates claimed to have caught and retained 21 of the patron’s fish. Through interview of this patron, COs discovered he was intending to sell the eels and transfer the parts of black sea bass to a Chinese restaurant but denied any intent to sell any of the black sea bass he caught. In addition, he had an agreement with the captain of the vessel to sleep overnight in the wheelhouse in anticipation of the next day’s trip. The patron was informed that he was only legally allowed to possess one day’s bag limit for each day he fished. The Federal permits of the vessel were subsequently inspected and the captain interviewed. Lt. Canale documented that the vessels captain didn’t possess a valid NMFS operator permit as required by federally permitted fishing vessels. The captain also failed to have on board the vessels’ Federal logbook and therefore had failed to complete a fishing vessel trip report upon landing. In addition, mates on board the vessel caught and retained fish, which were commingled with fish possessed by patrons of the vessel. On 3/30/08, based on the previous days boarding and prior contacts with the patron of the Atlantic Star, COs Petruccelli, James, Snellbaker, Lt. Canale and Deputy Gabries set up surveillance of the patron’s vehicle as the F/V Atlantic Star landed their final trip for the season. The COs observed the patron meet another patron from the vessel at a local Wawa parking lot. While there, this individual transferred a cooler of fish to the patron. While traveling North on Rte. 47, COs continued to monitor the patron’s activities and observed him go to the mate’s home where he was given another cooler of fish caught on the vessel. Following that contact, the COs followed the patron from Cape May County to his home town of Cherry Hill, in Camden County. In Cherry Hill, the patron went directly to the back door of a restaurant on Rte. 70 to attempt to sell his catch. He was unsuccessful since this restaurant, which had a sign advertising a black sea bass special, was closed. Following that attempt, the patron proceeded to his home leaving the several coolers of fish in the back of his van. On 3/31/08, COs Petruccelli, James, Snellbaker and Lt. Canale returned to Cherry Hill in the early morning hours to continue surveillance of the patron’s activities. After several false alarms, COs were able to follow him to Café Aldo Lamberti on Rte. 70 in Cherry Hill. COs observed the delivery of Black Sea bass into the restaurant by the patron. Thinking that other restaurants may be involved, COs continued following the patron as he entered a local auto repair shop. There, officers apprehended Mr. Birchmeier. Upon interview, the patron disclosed that he had sold Black Sea bass illegally to two restaurants and had received fish illegally from the mate and another patron on the vessel. COs subsequently inspected Café Aldo Lamberti in Cherry Hill and Luna Rosa Lamberti in Washington Twp. Gloucester County. In both cases the black sea bass purchased from Mr. Birchmeier was seized and the restaurants were issued a summons for purchasing black sea bass without having a New Jersey Black Sea Bass Dealer’s license. In addition both restaurants were given written warning for failing to keep accurate records of the purchase of marine resources. Officer’s seized $660.00 in proceeds from the sale of the fish from Mr. Birchmeier and over 175 lbs. of black sea bass. The patron was issued an additional 6 summonses in two jurisdictions. The patron was charged with: two counts of selling black sea bass to a non-permitted dealer, one count of selling black sea bass during closed commercial season, one count of purchasing black sea bass without having dealers permit, one count of failure to maintain accurate records of fish sold, and one count of possessing 100 black sea bass over recreational bag limit. The mate of the vessel was issued a warning and the patron of the vessel who transferred his catch to the patron was issued a summons for selling their recreational limits to him. In addition the /FV Atlantic Star, its owner and Captain face federal charges for the transfer of black sea bass to another person for commercial purposes and for the failure to comply with federal reporting guidelines on 3/29/08. On 4/19/08 CO Trembley set up a plain clothes operation along the Delaware River in Carney’s Point targeting illegal harvest of striped bass. Lt. Yunghans and CO Petruccelli posed as fishermen along the bank while CO Trembley and Lt. Canale awaited their call. Although fishermen were complying with the striped bass regulations, CO Petruccelli contacted CO Trembley in reference to two fishermen who were consuming alcohol in the DOD Wildlife Management Area in Salem County. When the plainclothes officer’s moved their position, CO Trembley and Lt. Canale apprehended the two individuals. Both individuals were highly impaired and although admitting to driving their van into the WMA, neither man possessed a driver’s license. Upon conducting a look up through Trenton Dispatch, the one individual was wanted on 10 warrants out of various municipalities in Camden County, each requiring $750.00-$1,500 bail without the option of 10% payment. CO Trembley and Lt. Canale took the individual into custody without incident and requested response from the State Police for transportation to Salem County Jail. Both men were issued summonses for the possession of alcohol on a State Wildlife Management Area. Later in the evening while leaving the DOD WMA Lt. Canale’s vehicle was almost struck head on by two vehicles being operated at high rate of speed. Both vehicles were stopped. Lt. Canale and CO Trembley determined that both vehicles were together. One vehicle was carrying wood debris for a campfire while the other had a case and a half of beer. CO Trembley and Lt. Canale issued two more summonses for the possession of alcohol in a State WMA. On 3/28/08 while fishing on the bank of the Great Egg Harbor River at Jefferies Landing in Egg Harbor Twp., Deputy Leeds observed an individual retaining undersized Striped Bass. DCO Leeds contacted CO Snellbaker who responded and apprehended the individual with 9 undersized Striped Bass on the bank. Further investigation by CO Snellbaker revealed three more undersized stripers retained during a previous trip hidden in the individual’s vehicle. The appropriate summonses were issued. In an unrelated case at the same location on 4/8/08, DCO Gabries contacted Co Snellbaker with information he received about individuals keeping undersized Striped Bass. Once again CO Snellbaker responded and apprehended another individual with 4 undersized Striped Bass. Again the appropriate summons were issued. Training Unit Highlights The spring session of the bureau’s quarterly firearms qualifications and training commenced recently for all Bureau Law Enforcement Personnel. This session consisted of tactical training with both handgun and shotgun in and around vehicles and other obstacles. Several Regional Firearms Instructors assisted with the training. Captain Brown assisted with Basic Firearms training at the Division of Criminal Justice Academy in Sea Girt. ARCHIVED HIGHLIGHT PAGES 2008 January February March 2007 January February March April May June July August September October November December 2006 March April May June July August September October November December |
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Last
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May 20, 2008