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Northern Region On
the afternoon of August 1st, the Division received a call from an
Investigator with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission asking
for assistance with a case that he was working on. CO Driscoll made contact
with the Investigator, who advised that an individual from Tennessee had
purchased a large American Alligator from a licensed facility in the Tampa, FL
area. He believed that the suspect had forged a permit to make it appear that
he had a valid permit for the possession of the animal. Through
his investigation, the Florida Investigator determined that the suspect had
left Florida and was en route to the Mountain Creek Resort in Vernon Township,
Sussex County, with the alligator. The information alleged that the suspect was
traveling in a Dodge Ram pickup and that the alligator was in a wooden crate in
the bed of the truck. The suspect was due to arrive at the resort between 2000
hours and 2100 hours that night. CO
Driscoll and Lt. Sutton setup surveillance on the hotel where the suspect was
supposed to be checking-in. At 2215 hours, the CO's observed a vehicle matching
the description provided enter the parking lot of the hotel. They made contact
with the driver, who was positively identified as the suspect. When questioned
about the contents of the large wooden crate in the back of the truck, the
suspect advised that it contained a 10 foot long alligator he purchased in
Florida. The suspect provided the CO's with a receipt for the alligator and a
permit from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission that listed
additional animals. The suspect then advised that he had additional exotic
animals in the cab of the truck. He then retrieved a styrofoam cooler that
contained one (1) hatchling American Alligator, one (1) Dwarf Caiman and two
(2) Sulcata (or African Spurred) Tortoises and a plastic dog crate that
contained eleven (11) Prairie Dogs. All
of the documents provided by the suspect and all of the animals were seized.
The suspect was issued four (4) summonses for "Possession of potentially
dangerous animals without a valid permit" and one (1) summons for "Possession
of regulated species without a permit". The seized documents will be turned
over to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission as evidence in their
investigation. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law
Enforcement is also assisting with possible violations of the Federal Lacey
Act. Truck
used by suspect to transport 10 foot long alligator. CO
Ocampo investigated a complaint that a farmer in Stillwater Township, Sussex
County, had killed several black bears on his property. CO Ocampo interviewed
the suspect and obtained a written confession from the man, stating that he had
shot and killed four (4) black bears with a shotgun and buried them with a
tractor on his property. The suspect was issued four (4) summonses for
"Taking/killing a black bear, during the closed season." CO
Driscoll and CO Kuechler were patrolling the Splitrock Reservoir section of the
Wildcat Ridge WMA, when they observed a vehicle being driven by a man that was
known, from a previous encounter, to not have a valid driver's license. The
CO's turned around and located the vehicle parked in the car top boat launch at
Splitrock Reservoir. They conducted a foot patrol of the area and observed
him, with three (3) other individuals (juveniles), smoking a cigar like object
that they believed to contain marijuana. As CO Driscoll approached the group on
foot, CO Kuechler observed the original suspect throw the cigar like object
onto the ground. The object was recovered and contained marijuana. While
questioning the group, the original suspect was observed attempting to hide a
set of keys under a log. The keys were determined to be for the car that they
observed him driving. The group was in possession of two (2) back packs, which
they granted consent to search. The searches revealed a grinder that contained
marijuana, a digital scale with traces of marijuana on it, three and a half (3˝) grams of marijuana and several devices used to smoke marijuana. The CO's
contacted Rockaway Township Police for assistance. When they brought the group
back to the parking lot, three (3) Rockaway Officers were waiting for them. One
of the juveniles asked a Rockaway Officer to get her cell phone from the car.
While retrieving the phone, he observed an open back pack containing a zip lock
bag containing twenty seven (27) grams of marijuana and another digital
scale.The original suspect was arrested and charged with two (2) Motor Vehicle
violations; "Did operate a motor vehicle without a valid license" and "Did
possess CDS in a motor vehicle". He was also charged with three (3) criminal
charges; "Possession of CDS, marijuana, under 50 grams", "Possession of drug
paraphernalia" and "Possession of marijuana under 50 grams, with the intent to
distribute." Charges for the three (3) juveniles are pending investigation by
Rockaway Township Juvenile Detectives. CO's Martiak and Mutone responded to a
complaint of a white substance being discharged into a storm drain in Hopewell
Borough, Mercer County. It was determined that a pool company was plastering a
swimming pool in the area and cleaning out their equipment into the storm
drain. The storm drain discharged into a tributary of Bedens Brook. Evidence
of the plaster was observed in the brook. CO Martiak issued a Notice of
Violation to the pool company. The company paid $300 in fines through the
NOV. CO Martiak investigated a fish kill in the
Camelot Woods Pond in Monroe Township, Middlesex County. Approximately 300 dead
fish, mainly sunfish, were observed in the pond. CO Martiak also observed a
brownish-red color to the water with suspended particles consistent with an
algae bloom. During the investigation, it was determined that a nearby nursery
had been watering down their mulch pile and that the runoff was flowing into a
stream that fed the Camelot Woods Pond. CO Martiak issued a NOV to the
nursery. The nursery paid $500 in fines through the NOV. Lt. Lacroix received a complaint from the
Hamilton Township (Mercer Co.) Animal Control about a skunk caught in a leghold
trap at a residence in their town. The skunk suffered a broken tibia and was
taken to the Mercer County Wildlife Center. Lt. Lacroix spoke with the
homeowner who had set the trap. He indicated that he was trying to catch a
woodchuck that had been causing damage in his yard. He claimed that the
leghold trap had been hanging in his shed for a long time. The trap appeared
in excellent condition with very little rust. Lt. Lacroix issued a summons for
taking an animal using a leghold trap. The skunk underwent two surgeries to
repair its leg and is currently recovering at the rehabilitation center. They
hope to be able to release it in 6-8 weeks. On a Sunday evening in July, CO McManus
was contacted by Trenton Dispatch advising him that a house in Wall Township
had been struck by a hunter's bullet. CO McManus and Lt. Lacroix responded to
the Wall Township Police Department where the suspect was in custody. They
interviewed him and began an investigation. The following morning, CO McManus
and Lt. Szulecki met the suspect at the location of the incident and conducted
a field investigation. During the investigation it was determined that the
man had not only possessed a loaded .22 magnum rifle within 450 feet of an
occupied dwelling, but had fired directly towards two different houses while
shooting at and killing two woodchucks. After speaking to the homeowner, it
was also determined that one of the bullets that the hunter had fired while
shooting at a woodchuck had passed completely thru the animal after killing
it. It then whistled through the air passing nearby the homeowners as they
were walking in their driveway. It was not
conclusively determined that the bullet had actually struck their house. The
hunter was charged with possessing a loaded firearm within 450 feet of a
building, failing to exhibit a valid hunting license, no valid rifle permit and
careless discharge of a firearm while hunting. CO Mutone received information that a man
on Craigslist was advertising captive born hatchling diamondback terrapins. He
was asking a $60.00 rehoming fee per turtle. There is a season for the take and
possession of terrapins which runs from November 1 through March 31 and with a
minimum shell length of 5 inches. Terrapins cannot be taken by traps or any
type of net. CO Mutone contacted the man and made an appointment to meet him
and buy a turtle. On the day of the undercover operation, CO Mutone met the
man in plain clothes while CO's Riviello and McManus observed the sale from a
covert location. After monies were exchanged and a turtle was obtained, the
two conducted a stop of the seller. CO Mutone asked him how he obtained the
terrapins. He said he caught them at a local beach that terrapins use to lay
their eggs at night using a flashlight and dip net. He admitted to having
another terrapin and other regulated non-game and exotic species at his home.
The man was charged with the following violations: Taking diamondback terrapins
out of season, under-sized, and with the use of a net. He was also charged
with possessing non-game/exotic species without a permit. The terrapins were
released at the site of capture. CO's
Kille and Trembley responded to an ATV complaint in the Winslow Wildlife
Management Area, in Winslow Township, Camden County from CO Vazquez who was off-duty.
Upon arrival the officers noticed a discrepancy in the number of people versus
the number of ATV's on scene. CO Kille located additional riders at the front
of their U-Haul truck. Officer Kille interviewed the remaining two riders and
noticed that one of them had sustained serious injuries and was under the
influence of alcohol. CO Kille contacted EMS and the Winslow Township Police
Department for assistance. The rider was transported to Virtua Hospital in
Washington Township. The injured rider's all-terrain vehicle was impounded by
Winslow Township Police because they were investigating the crash. The rider
was also wanted for numerous warrants stemming from other driving while
intoxicated incidents. All participants were charged with operation of ATV's
on state property, operation of unregistered ATV's, litter and possession of
alcohol on a wildlife management area. CO's
Kille and Trembley conducted a wildlife management area patrol in the Cedar
Lake Wildlife Management Area in Monroe Township, Gloucester County. The
officers observed 12 people for a short time, all of which were swimming,
consuming alcohol, and littering refuse near the lake's edge. The officers
made contact with the group and one man became verbally abusive, using vulgar language
and racially charged language towards members of his group, by-standers and the
officers. This same man provided the officers with incorrect information and
continued to be unruly. He ignored the pleas from his own group and verbal
commands from the officers to settle down and co-operate. Subsequently, the man
was arrested for disorderly conduct. CO Kille attempted to transport the
suspect, but he started spitting at the officer while in back of the patrol
vehicle. Monroe Township Police Department was called and assisted with the transport
back to their department where he was processed and released. All the
individuals were charged with swimming in a management area, possession of
alcohol in a management area and littering on wildlife management area. The
underage individual was also charged with dis-orderly conduct and underage
drinking. CO's
Kille and Trembley attended National Night Out in Pennsgrove/Carney's Point in
Salem County. CO
Vazquez attended National Night Out in Mullica Township in Atlantic County. CO
Fox attended National Night Out in Absecon Township in Atlantic County. Lt.
Risher attended Salem County's National Night Out in Pittsgrove Township. On August 6th, CO's Klitz and Moscatiello conducted an overnight
surveillance on two unmarked and unattended gill nets set in the Atlantic
Ocean. The gear was set in state waters approximately 2.5 miles off of
Sandy Hook National Park, Monmouth County. The CO's waited overnight a
couple of miles away in their patrol vessel for the commercial fisherman to
return and tend the nets. At daybreak a vessel was seen entering the vicinity
of the nets. With the aid of stabilizing binoculars, the CO's were able
to observe the men aboard the vessel tending the first set of nets. The
CO's immediately responded to the vessel where they conducted a commercial
fisheries boarding without incident. The Captain and crew were instructed to
pull their nets from the water and return to port where the boarding would be
completed. Once back at port the Captain/owner was cooperative and submitted
to all of the violations presented to him. Summonses were issued for leaving
anchored gill nets unattended overnight and for utilizing anchored gill nets
with no required identifiable markings. The two gillnets in violation were
seized as evidence for forfeiture proceedings. The nets set in this manner were
also in violation of the National Marine Mammal Protection Act, Bottlenose
Dolphin Take Reduction Plan. On August 5th, CO Soell received a
complaint of fishermen taking short crabs in Normandy Beach, Ocean County.
Upon arrival the complainant approached CO Soell and advised him that the
fishermen were just approached by local police. They were told not to keep
short crabs and to throw back the ones they already had. CO Soell decided to
inspect them anyway. Upon CO Soell's approach, the fishermen started to dump
crabs into a garbage can. CO Soell had them remove all of the crabs from the
garbage can, and then observed two more buckets of crabs in the bushes nearby.
Aside from the 145 short crabs contained in the buckets, they also possessed 4
sub legal summer flounder less than 18 inches. Summonses were issued for under
sized summer flounder and for undersized blue claw crabs. On August 13th, CO Soell
inspected two fishermen as they returned to their vehicle at Barnegat Light
State Park, Ocean County. They had no fish in their possession and advised CO
Soell they had been fishing for about an hour. The driver seemed very nervous
and they also had extra fishing poles in their car. It appeared the
individuals were preparing to pick up another individual at another location.
CO Soell cleared the inspection and drove around the corner to follow the
vehicle. The vehicle came around the corner and turned onto another street in
Barnegat Light while the individuals were talking on a cell phone. CO Soell
went back out to another dead end road and observed two fishermen come off of a
trail exiting the beach. CO Soell stopped and spoke to the individuals. The
individuals advised CO Soell they had not been fishing and still had friends fishing
in on the jetty. CO Soell allowed the individuals to leave and then searched
the bushes along the trail. He found two backpacks full of blackfish. CO Soell
began to search the Barnegat Light area and its surroundings for the vehicle
previously stopped. He located and stopped the vehicle a short distance away.
The fishermen that he spoke with when exiting the beach were now in the back of
the vehicle. CO Soell was able to tie the backpacks and the individuals in the
car together for the possession of the backpacks' contents. The individuals had
21 fish of which 17 were undersized. Summonses were issued for undersized and
over the limit blackfish. On August 5th, CO Woerner was patrolling
Highlands in Monmouth County, when he noticed a rental boat coming back to
Schupp's Landing. CO Woerner inspected the three fishermen when they came back
to their vehicle in the parking lot. Upon inspection CO Woerner located 14
undersized summer flounder. Summonses were issued for possession of 14
undersized summer flounder. On two consecutive weekends, CO Woerner conducted
foot patrols at Natco Lake in Union Beach, Monmouth County, to inspect individuals
crabbing. During the inspections, CO Woerner apprehended four individuals in
possession of 196 blue crabs out of which 142 measured less than 4.5 inches. On
the second weekend CO Woerner recognized some of the crabbers as the same individuals
who were apprehended the prior weekend. Again, summonses were issued to all
individuals for undersized blue claw crabs. On August 9th CO Woerner went out on foot
patrol on the Old Bridge side of Morgan Inlet in Middlesex County. During the
patrol CO Woerner inspected an individual who caught an undersized striped bass
by means of cast net. While walking the individual back to his vehicle to get
his driver's license CO Woerner noticed a man with a plastic bag of hard clams.
Both individuals were escorted back to the parking lot where CO Woerner issued
the one individual for possession of one undersized striped bass and a written
warning for catching striped bass by means of cast net. The other individual
was issued a summons for harvesting shellfish without a shellfish license and a
written warning for harvesting shellfish in the special restricted waters of
Raritan Bay. On August 11th, CO Woerner was
patrolling Highlands in Monmouth County, waiting to inspect a rental boat that
he received a complaint on earlier in the day. The individuals that matched the
description walked off the dock at Schupps Landing where CO Woerner met them to
inspect their catch. CO Woerner immediately noticed that there was a large
amount of hard clams harvested by the individuals and contacted CO Scott for
assistance. During this time CO Scott was 30 minutes out and contacted Sandy
Hook National Park Service Rangers to assist CO Woerner. Before the National
Park Service Rangers arrived on scene CO Woerner secured the four individuals
gear and catch and had them wait back at their vehicle. CO Woerner inspected
their catch and found five undersized summer flounder. Once the Rangers arrived
to assist, CO Woerner went back out to the end of the dock where he noticed another
group of three fishermen with a large black trash bag. CO Woerner escorted the
group back to the parking lot and inspected their catch. Upon inspection CO
Woerner found 26 undersized summer flounder in the black trash bag. CO Scott
arrived to assist CO Woerner with the first group and counted 693 clams
harvested by the four individuals and 11 undersized clams. CO Scott issued
three summonses to the three individuals for harvesting shellfish without a
shellfish license and one summons to the individual for possession five
undersized summer flounder. In addition, four summonses were issued to the
individuals for 11 undersized hard clams. After confirming with the individuals
the location of harvest of the hard clams Ranger Hubert of Sandy Hook National
Park Service issued four summonses for unlawfully taking hard clams from Sandy
Hook National Park to the group. CO Woerner issued summonses to the three
fishermen with the 26 undersized fluke. Two individuals were issued summonses
for nine undersized summer flounder and four over the recreational limit. One
individual was issued for eight undersized summer flounder and three over the
recreational limit. On August 16th, CO Woerner
conducted surveillance on three fishermen off of Commerce St. in Perth Amboy.
The group was catching snapper bluefish and putting them in a bucket. After one
individual tipped the bucket over CO Woerner noticed a large amount of snapper
bluefish come out of the bucket onto the concrete fishing pier. CO Woerner went
out on foot to inspect the fishermen and found the group to be over the
recreational limit of bluefish by 66 fish. CO Woerner issued two summonses for
over the limit bluefish. Later that day in Perth Amboy, CO Woerner noticed a
group of crabbers out in the Arthur Kill harvesting blue claw crabs, near the
Harbortown Fishing Pier. CO Woerner issued three summonses to the group for
possession of 29 undersized crabs and six written warnings for harvesting crabs
from the Newark Bay Complex. Crabbing is prohibited in this location because
crabs are known to be contaminated
with harmful levels of dioxin and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). On August 16th, CO Moscatiello
responded to an Operation Game Thief complaint on a jetty in Deal, Monmouth
County. He observed three males fishing with one of the men placing fish in a
plastic bag and hiding the fish in the jetty. While conducting surveillance CO
Moscatiello observed one of the subjects, an elderly male, lose his balance and
fall, slamming his head against a large boulder. CO Moscatiello quickly approached
the men and had the Deal Borough EMS respond to the scene. The injured man was
transported to Monmouth Medical Center. During this time CO Woerner also
responded and was able to locate seven undersized fluke hidden in the rocks.
After dealing with the medical emergency, CO Moscatiello issued a summons to
the remaining man from the party for possession of undersized summer flounder. On July 21st, CO Scott was
driving through Belmar Marina when he spotted three fishermen walking back to
their vehicle from the rental boat docks. CO Scott conducted a fisheries
inspection of their coolers and found 26 undersized summer flounder. As the
inspection was unfolding, more men arrived at the subject's vehicle. It turns
out there were eight men in total. CO Woerner assisted CO Scott in measuring
and securing the individuals' IDs. In total, eight summonses were issued for
undersized summer flounder. In two days during this period, CO Scott apprehended
nine individuals illegally clamming in Sandy Hook National Park during low
tide. All were issued summonses for failing to possess a shellfish license and
warnings for harvesting shellfish from the special restricted waters of Sandy
Hook Bay. Upon inspection, one group of individuals was in the process of
cooking and eating the freshly harvested clams. On July 30th, COs Moscatiello
and Scott responded to an on-going complaint off the Shrewsbury Rocks, located
approximately two-miles off of Sea Bright in the Atlantic Ocean. Starting from
the Point
Pleasant, the COs expeditiously responded in their patrol vessel and identified
the vessel matching the description of the complaint. There was a large number
of live black sea bass in the vessel's live well, so the officers escorted the
vessel to USCG Station Sandy Hook where the inspection could be made more
thoroughly. The COs found the five individuals on board to be in possession of
78 black sea bass over limit, of which 68 were undersized, and 10 undersized
summer flounder. The men were issued 15 summonses in total for the undersized
and over limit fish. On August 10th, COs Scott and
Woerner conducted a boat patrol in Sandy Hook Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. Inspections
of eight vessels and 23 fishermen resulted in the issuance of 18 summonses and
one written warning for a variety of violations including undersized summer
flounder and parts of mutilated summer flounder, no shellfish license, and
harvesting shellfish from the special restricted waters of Sandy Hook Bay.
Additionally, one subject had four active warrants from police departments in
northern NJ. The COs escorted the subject back to the dock where they were met
by a patrolman from Highlands PD. CO Scott and the Highlands Officer
transported the subject to Highlands PD were he was then released on his own
recognizance by all four jurisdictions. On August 16th District 7
conducted a summer flounder pulse operation from Manasquan Inlet north to Sandy
Hook National Park, and into Sandy Hook Bay. Approximately 40 vessels and 75
fishermen were inspected. The COs issued 21 summonses for a variety of
violations including undersized summer flounder, mutilated summer flounder,
interference, and no dive flag. On August 17th, COs Martiak,
Woerner, and Scott conducted a follow-up boat patrol covering the same areas as
the previous day. The COs inspected 15 vessels with 44 fishermen aboard and
issued five summonses for undersized summer flounder. On August 1, 2014 Conservation Officers
investigated a whale harassment complaint reported by employees of a whale
watching vessel in Cape May. Preliminary interviews with the witnesses of the
whale harassment indicate that a small privately owned jet powered pleasure
craft repeatedly disregarded warnings from employees of the whale watching
vessel that they were getting too close to a humpback whale as it surfaced for
air in Delaware Bay. Witnesses claim the suspect vessel actually struck the
humpback whale when they drove over the top of it to take photographs. The
suspect has been identified and officers are currently investigating. On August 13, 2014 during a Delaware Bay
Vp patrol, CO Harp and CO Hausamann apprehended an oyster dredge vessel
harvesting oysters from the State Shell Rock seed bed which was closed on July
4th as part of the area management scenario enacted for the 2014 oyster
season. A total of 60 bushels of oysters with a value of $3,000.00 were seized
and returned to the Shell Rock seed bed. Additionally the captain of the
vessel was issued a summons for harvesting oysters from a closed bed. During a vessel patrol CO Hausamann
discovered three commercial crabbers had set crab pots in Dividing Creek which
was designated by the Division after consultation with the Shellfisheries
Council and the Marine Fisheries Council, as off limits for the catching of
crabs by means of pots. The penalty for setting pots in a creek designated as
off limits is $30.00 per pot. Utilizing the crabber's commercial gear
identification number CO Hausamann conducted interviews and issued each
commercial crabber a summons for setting pots in a restricted creek. Based on information of two individuals
wearing wets suits in an unmarked vessel tending crab pot gear in Tuckerton
Bay, CO Harp managed to locate the vessel from Great Bay Blvd. and observed two
clammers tend 20 commercial crab pots. CO Harp did not observe any gear
identification numbers on the side of the vessel which is required when
commercial harvesting crabs with crab pots. With the assistance of Lt.
Snellbaker and CO Nicklow, the vessel was tracked back to a marina in Tuckerton
Creek and inspected. One of the clammers did possess a valid commercial crab
pot license. An inspection of a bushel basket of crabs revealed 16 undersize
crabs and 3 undersize conchs. Additionally a live horseshoe crab was found on
board the vessel which was going to be cut up for conch pot bait. Summonses
were issued for the undersize crabs and conchs and warnings were issued for
failure to display commercial gear identification numbers on the side of the
vessel and for taking and possessing a horseshoe crab during the moratorium. As CO Nicklow pulled up in his patrol
vehicle to inspect a cast netter off Route 30 in Absecon, occupants of a nearby
vehicle began to repeatedly honk their car's horn to alert the cast netter of
CO Nicklow's presence. During the inspection CO Nicklow observed a cooler in
the car which contained 15 undersize black drum and 3 undersize blue claw
crabs. CO Nicklow issued the cast netter a summons for five undersize black
drum. Training Unit Highlights ARCHIVED HIGHLIGHT PAGES 2009 February May August October November 2008 January February March April May June July August September October November December 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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December 20, 2009