Coast Guard will step up striped bass poaching patrols

[DanR]

The USCG hasn't got back to me yet to tell me exactly how they are going to "step up" their patrols. One officer only told me there will be more boat boardings and inspections this winter. Has anyone been boarded by the CG in recent years regarding striped bass poaching?

http://www.app.com/story/sports/outdoors/fishing/hook-line-and-sinker/2014/11/11/coast-guard-will-step-striped-bass-poaching-patrols/18849445/

[Bluefish]

oh goody goody, so if I float over the 3 mile line and have a bass I'm a criminal but if unlimited numbers of new friends float over the Rio Grande illegally they are fed/housed /schooled/receive medical benefits etc and given amnesty. sounds right to me. I realize this is not a new law but this just further highlights how idiotic the current law is. Not to mention the waste of the Coast Guard as a resource for legitimate items of safety and security.

[capt richie]

Yup its a total joke i was stopped last year and was treated like a criminal 5 guys no older than 20 all with guns and acted like we were isis you would have thought we had 50lbs of coke on the boat.... WHAT A WASTE OF TIME AND OUR TAX $$$$$$

[WhaleFart]

This is good, I'm happy to hear the cg will do there part in protecting stripers and prosecuting those who break the law.

[DanR]

Can someone refresh my memory why we are not allowed to fish in the EEZ for striped bass?

[Offshoreafflicted]

It belongs to the King and he said so.

[DanR]

Well, that explains it then

[Joey Dah Fish]

I'm good with this I think those that poach deserve what they get!!!! I can't say that I like wasting good fishing time being boarded for no reason. But if that's what it takes to sustain a good population I'm all for it.

[Pauls1976]

I have no problem with this either, if you are not breaking the law, you are only inconvenienced for a short time. Keeps people honest.

Obviously spot checks for Bass takes a back seat to saving someone but it does give them something else to be useful for during non essential times. Besides they could double up there stops for a safety check as well.

[bigal427]

I was boarded once last year and twice this week out of Barnegat. I have no problem with the coast guard enforcing the 3mile line. They where courteous and friendly every time.

[squan63]

The only time anyone wants to see the coastguard is when they r sinking or in the water.the 3 mile deal was for the southern bass states wintering bass when it was implemented.

[shrimpman steve]

oh goody goody, so if I float over the 3 mile line and have a bass I'm a criminal but if unlimited numbers of new friends float over the Rio Grande illegally they are fed/housed /schooled/receive medical benefits etc and given amnesty. sounds right to me. I realize this is not a new law but this just further highlights how idiotic the current law is. Not to mention the waste of the Coast Guard as a resource for legitimate items of safety and security.

You are so right

[bunker dunker]

Coast guard...........fish patrol,i'm not getting it.

[Capt. Debbie]

So the USCG is enforcing it. So? It's Federal Law so states can't. Most Coasties are sitting inside the station anyway for most if not all of the day. Big deal. They are on water during the day. That's a good thing.

I'm not sure how many illegal immigrants come in through Raritan Bay? I guess they must have fallen off their cruise ship? LMAO! 98% of Illegals come in on plane and overstay around here.

It's a good thing, the feds enforce fed law. We complain about poachers and stealing undersized fish, yet we complain if they enforce it? Which is crazier? They persons enforcing or those complaining?

[bunker dunker]

wow!!! can't have an opinion around here anymore with out someone starting
the name calling.looking for "striper pochers" or maybe stopping some of the
heroin that comes in everyday.

[shrimpman steve]

I have no problem with the coasties. They do a Heroes job. I have a problem with the way they are used.

[fishguy]

I'm not sure why stripers get special treatment in federal waters but every other fish doesn't.
You can catch fluke at the Bug Light or the Mud but not bass? Why?
I have no beef with the Coast Guard but I feel like its a waste of tax revenue to chase around recreational fisherman for a few fish.

[Blackfish Doug]

I feel that if somebody is in danger & needs rescue & the coast guard is too busy with checking fish a life can be lost. I really think this should be the job of the dec not the coast guard. Think about how much money this operation costs it's rediculous.

[h2ogonj]

maybe they can get a border patrol agent on there to check the basses paper work that way we know for sure they are not getting to the docks illegally.

I have no problem with them enforcing the three mile law but don't bother me a 1/2 mile off the beach

[1captainron]

Should be looking "INSHORE" for the real Scumbags!! Watched a Charter boat gaff short fish, then toss them in the cooler while I was tossing back 27 3/4 inch fish with my customers wondering why! Then they have the balls to say they limited out while their customers haven't a clue.

This is what it's come too, Thanks to our beloved Government!
Extend the EE-ZONE to 7 miles like they did in the Gulf, cuts down on the Patrols, saves the Government money over a bullshit cause, we get to actually catch and keep some nice fish, stay in business, and everyone is Happy.

Maybe in my life time, but I doubt it.

[Chrisper4694]

Idk how the cg is but the state police are annoying as hell on lake hopatcong. Stopped us right after we found a school of striper hybrids. Took 15-20 minutes to run my info and when everything was found to be in order he gave me a written warning for my fishing license not being in view even though it was clearly hanging on my bag right next to me. We never got back on the fish. Thanks for protecting me...

[SHAMROCK EDDIE]

Capt Frank is dead on! Some of the new recruits need sea time and this is how they get it I got checked a few years ago off sandy hook the crew was out of Montauk they were in training no guns! My son was a coastie and I take offense to some of the bull crap certain guys are saying you know the minute you have a foot of water in your bilge and need a diaper change you will hope those muscle heads pull up! :mad:

[Joey Dah Fish]

Capt Frank is dead on! Some of the new recruits need sea time and this is how they get it I got checked a few years ago off sandy hook the crew was out of Montauk they were in training no guns! My son was a coastie and I take offense to some of the bull crap certain guys are saying you know the minute you have a foot of water in your bilge and need a diaper change you will hope those muscle heads pull up! :mad:

Hear hear my brother amen to this

[Gerry Zagorski]

Exactly. Cleaned this post up to weed out some over the top comments. No need for hating and name calling here. I realize there are many opinions here but state them respectfully and no personal attacks.

[Detour66]

Please tell me where is it written that the CG and SP are now game wardens? To me this is a waste of our tax dollars. Who gave them this order? Big Brother on land and now at sea. I don't like it and if I could vote against it I would. I personally don't like to eat Striped Bass but I do like them as a game fish. I always liked the idea of open water and being free out at sea well now that's not even the case. It's messed up!

[jmurr711]

1 day everyone says "we have to save the stripers they should all be released" next day "coast guard has no right protecting the bass that are outside of the 3 mile line"

i am confused as most of the bass I have "accidentally" come across outside of 3 miles this time of year are big "breeder" fish, so are we supposed to protect them or not????????????

STRIPED CATFISH=DRAMA

[Dupes]

It's Stop and Frisk on the water. If Diblasio was in charge they would ban the practice.

[Angler Paul]

Prohibiting the taking of stripers in the EEZ (beyond 3 miles out) is a good law. Be advised that this prohibition is in effect along all of the east coast, not just off New Jersey. Also, this prohibition applies to both commercial and recreational fishermen. Stripers, often winter far off the coast of Virginia and North Carolina. Just imagine how the biomass would be decimated if the netters were allowed to go out there and scoop them all up.
The stock has been on the decline for several years now and I don't want it to go back to the way it was back in the late 70's. I applaud the efforts of the Coast Guard for their efforts to curtail poaching as well as all the other great things they do. Those who take fish illegally are nothing more than thieves who are stealing from a public resource. Those fish that are taken illegally may have grown into trophies that you and I might have caught legally some day. I encourage all to report incidents of poaching in state waters by calling 1-877-WARN-DEP or by calling their closest Coast Guard Station for violations in Federal Waters.

Paul Haertel

[dakota560]

If there's one fishery which was on the balls of it's ass 15 to 20 years ago it was stripers. Regulations saved this fishery and are responsible for the great fishery we have today. Everyone wants people who break the laws caught as long as the enforcement efforts don't cut into their fishing time. Can't have it both ways guys. Personally I love seeing enforcement, CG, F&G, MP whoever on the waters and love seeing idiots who break the laws being ticketed. If that means I need to be inconvenienced at times I'm all for it. I have nothing to hide so it's actually an opportunity to thank guys for their efforts. Like I said it's a thankless job and 95% of the time the people who board you are very courteous and professional if you show them respect as well which by the way they deserve. For the guy who posted about the hybrids at Lake Hopatcong, if these guys weren't doing their thankless job, maybe that school of hybrids you found wouldn't have even been there to find in the first place.

We have probably the greatest striped bass fishing in the last 50 years and still people complain about regulations and enforcement. Amazing! Go back to the 80's or 90's and you wouldn't have to worry about the 3 mile line because there were no stripers anywhere to be found. Can't tell you how many posts I've read just on this site saying "Where is enforcement when you need them?" for some reason and then you get posts like this about too much enforcement or who is doing it! Like I said it's a thankless job and as I said I'm extremely thankful seeing their presence on the water and quite frankly I don't care what uniform they're wearing as long as they're there to protect the resource and assist anyone in trouble. They deserve more respect than their given and as someone pointed out, you'll be kissing their ass if you're ever standing knee deep in water in your boat one day.

Dakota