Conservation Officers Busy 'Reelin' 'Em In' On The Byram River

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — Environmental Conservation Officers managed to hook more than just fish on a single day patrolling the Byram River in Westchester.

Officers Tompkins and Wamsley were on boat patrol on the Byram River, which empties into the Long Island Sound, when they saw three men carrying a bucket that appeared heavy. Officers said when they approached, the men began behaving "erratically." The conservation officers quickly motored up to the dock and ordered the men not to dump the bucket, but one of the suspects reportedly emptied the bucket into the river anyway.

Tompkins quickly maneuvered the patrol boat near the dock and Wamsley jumped out, grabbed a net and retrieved 16 undersized blackfish. The pair of officers issued a total of seven summonses to the men, all charged with possessing over-the-limit and undersized fish. The man who dumped the bucket received an additional charge for failure to obey a lawful order.

Tompkins and Wamsley continued their boat patrol throughout the day and issued six more tickets to other scofflaw fishermen for possessing undersized fish.

All of the illegally possessed fish were confiscated and donated to a local zoo.