February 4, 2011- Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR) just announced that the current commercial gill net season has been closed until the Department determines the extent of illegal nets and their impact on the remaining quota. The announcement follows the discovery of submerged nets near Bloody Point over the past several days that held more than 10 tons of striped bass. The announcement was made by DNR Deputy Secretary Joseph Gill at an Annapolis news conference this afternoon. “Today’s announcement demonstrates that illegal fishing that steals the resource from all Marylanders will not be tolerated,” said CCA Maryland Executive Director Tony Friedrich. “The Department, Secretary Griffin and Fisheries Director Tom O’Connell are to be congratulated for their swift, decisive action. Also, the Natural Resources Police should be commended for their hard work. We look forward to working with the Department and other stakeholders to ensure the penalties for these types of crimes are strengthened and those responsible are held fully accountable.
While the gill net season would normally close at the end of this month or earlier if the allocation were reached, today’s announcement means all nets must be pulled now. The season could be re-opened later in the month if DNR determines that illegal nets nets are no longer a threat to the resource and that the commercial quota has not been caught, according to Friedrich.
Gill also announced a $5,000 reward for help in the arrest and conviction of those who have placed the illegal nets already discovered. CCA Maryland has added $1,000 to that reward.
“We encourage members to contribute to a fund that will support the reward,” Friedrich said. “Checks should be made out to ‘CCA MD’ with ‘gill net fund’ indicated on the check. They should be mailed to the state office, 701 Melvin Ave., Suite B, Annapolis, MD 21401.
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