Crackdown Uncovers 340 Pounds Of Fluke Hidden On Fishing Boat: DEC

MONTAUK, NY — New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Officers caught fishermen hiding fluke on their vessel, the DEC said.

On Aug. 13, ECOs Chris Amato, Tim Fay, and Kait Grady patrolled Montauk Point for commercial fishing activity; when they checked a boat coming into Inlet Seafood after a six-day fishing trip, they found that the vessel crew had hidden 340 pounds of overage fluke in the fish hold behind empty boxes, the DEC said.

The crew had also hidden a finned thresher shark, black sea bass, out of season, and several pounds of filleted fluke, black sea bas, and striped bass, the DEC said.

National Oceanic Atmospheric Adminstration Officer Ian Isaacs and Marine Enforcement Unit ECOs Ike Bobseine and Evan Laczi responded to assist with the investigation, the DEC said.

In addition to the fish violations, the boat crew received tickets for a falsified vessel trip report, or VTR, untagged quota managed species, mutilation of species, and a violation for wrong net mesh size, the DEC said.

Charges are pending in East Hampton Town Court, the DEC said.

"From Montauk Point to Mount Marcy, from Brooklyn to Buffalo, the ECOs patrolling our state are the first line of defense in protecting New York's environment and our natural resources, ensuring that they exist for future generations of New Yorkers," Commissioner Basil Seggos said. "They work long and arduous hours, both deep in our remote wildernesses and in the tight confines of our urban landscapes. Although they don't receive much public fanfare, the work of our ECOs is critical to achieving DEC's mission to protect and enhance our environment."

Photo courtesy NYSDEC.