Six Men Charged With Rockfish Violations

Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) today announced they have charged six Lower Shore men with violating striped bass regulations.

On Feb. 20, Natural Resources Police officers conducting surveillance observed a string of unattended striped bass gill nets, and subsequently three fishing vessels working the nets in violation of striped bass regulations.

NRP officers stopped and boarded the vessels, charging Rudolph James Robbins, Jr., 48, of Cambridge, Md.; Robert Michael Abbott, 34, of Vienna, Md.; and Gary Adams Lecompte, 39, also of Vienna, Md. with one count of setting/fishing a striped bass gill net during prohibited time (6 p.m. to 3 a.m.) and one count of failure to maintain one mile distance to striped bass drift gill nets.

Lecompte was further charged with exceeding the maximum amount of gill net yardage allowed. Each fisherman licensed to harvest striped bass can have a maximum is 600 yards of gill net, or 2,400 yards per boat with four licensed fishermen on board.

NRP officers also charged Earl Dawson, Jr., and Stewart Edward Dawson, 34, both of Cordova , Md. with one count each of setting/fishing a striped bass gill net during prohibited time.

Dean Christopher Price, 26, Woolford, Md. was charged with exceeding the gill net yardage limit.

Each violation the six men were charged with carries a maximum fine of $1,500. All men were issued citations, and a District Court Commissioner released Lecompte on his own recognizance. Over 100 pounds of rockfish valued at $127.50 were seized.

Posted: 3-1-2001