DEC Rounds Up Illegal Fishing At Jones Beach

WANTAGH, NY — As part of patrols by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) Division of Law Enforcement, several investigations took place recently at Jones Beach State Park.

On July 31, state police got in touch with environment conservation officers after discovering drums of fish alongside the roadside of Bay Parkway. People were seen by police fleeing.

In the drums were 10 undersized summer flounder (fluke), 19 bluefish, undersized blue claw crabs, and hundreds of pounds of a baitfish called spearing.

On Aug. 3, an officer observed a rolled-up net, small bait fish in bags, and multiple five-gallon buckets at the fishing pier. The officers handed out several tickets including possessing over-the-limit snapper, undersized fluke, out-of-season blackfish, and taking food fish by net without a food fish license.

Also on Aug. 3, On Aug. 3, an angler told a conservation officer that he was stung in the foot by a stingray. He was taken to the West End parking lot where EMTs waited. The DEC says he is expected to make a full recovery.

On Aug. 4, a complaint about a group using a large net to catch a peanut bunker (small Atlantic Menhaden) fishing pier led to a ticket to each of the adults for possessing 1,717 bunker over the daily limit.