By Molly Kirk
On September 20, Virginia Conservation Police Sergeant Bumgarner conducted a patrol in an area where officers in District 11 have received reports and information about fishermen using illegal fishing methods to take large numbers of illegal fish. Sgt. Bumgarner located suspects matching the information at a location in Westmoreland County and contacted CPOs Sally Baumbach and Kabren Jones to respond.
While awaiting the CPOs to arrive, Bumgarner began conducting surveillance of five subjects who were using a gill net and placing large quantities of fish into coolers on board their vessel. While conducting surveillance, a lone fisherman in another vessel returned to Bumgarner’s location. The subject exited the boat and struggled to carry a large cooler to a house nearby. Bumgarner contacted the fishermen and asked to inspect his fishing license and creel. Upon inspecting the fisherman’s creel, it was determined the fisherman was 32 bluefish over the limit. At this time CPOs Baumbach and Jones arrived on scene. Appropriate charges were placed and the CPOs returned to conducting surveillance on the initial vessel.
The previously surveilled boat eventually returned to shore and four fishermen struggled to carry several coolers to their vehicle where the coolers were then concealed. The fishermen then returned to the boat and left the area under the cover of darkness before Sgt. Bumgarner was able to make contact. At approximately 12:55 a.m., the boat, which was not displaying navigation lights, returned to the boat ramp where the CPOs were waiting. The officers observed two gill nets and a cooler in the vessel. Upon inspecting the coolers, the officers located 167 illegal fish consisting of blue fish, striped bass, red drum, speckled trout, grey trout, and Spanish mackerel. The CPOs found the fishermen were 128 fish over their legal limit of bluefish and had multiple undersized striped bass and red drum, along with speckled trout, grey trout, and Spanish mackerel that all had markings consistent with having been caught in a gill net. Multiple boating violations were also found.
DWR CPOs with the seized fish.
At 1:15 a.m., while the officers were finishing up with this group, another vessel returned to their location not displaying proper navigation lights. As the vessel approached, the officers identified themselves and ordered the vessel to stop. After giving multiple commands and illuminating the vessel with their flashlights, the vessel then left the area at a high rate of speed. A short while later the vessel returned again not displaying navigation lights. The officers were able to contact the individuals and observed evidence consistent with fishing activity, but found no fish currently on board the vessel. The operator was interviewed regarding his previous flight and admitted to having been fishing and that he knew the officers were attempting to stop his vessel. Appropriate enforcement action was taken against the operator. The officers continued their work over the course of the early morning hours of September 21, and at approximately 5:30 a.m., the officers contacted two additional groups of fishermen. The officers located 23 additional undersize red drum and two undersize speckled trout and found one group over their limit of bluefish, along with multiple boating and navigation light violations. The officers completed a long shift after issuing 72 summonses for boating and fishing violations related to the illegal take of multiple saltwater fish species.
Violations: Take over limit bluefish, Take over limit red drum, Possession of undersize red drum, Posses undersized striped bass, Possess undersized speckled trout, Possess undersized Spanish mackerel, Unlawful use of gill net to take saltwater fish species, Fail to mark gill net as required, Fishing without a saltwater license, No navigation lights on boat, Operate unregistered motor boat, Operate boat without proper safety equipment, Obstruction of justice
Field Ops: CPOs Kabren Jones, Sally Baumbach, Stephen Scripture
Supervision: Sgt. Tyler Bumgarner
Mutual Aid: Westmoreland Sheriff’s Office