[hookinfinger]

This is an article from today's Virginian-Pilot.

Striper operations in full swing
06
Jan 09
6:19 PMFirst fishing question of the day.

It's winter. Coastal waters of the Atlantic are teeming with striped bass. Lots of fish appear to be swimming in the waters out past three miles.

What's all that equal?

Tons of internet chatter about who is fishing illegally.

And if Coast Guard reports have anything to tell, lots of people continue to - like they do every year - venture outside of the 3-mile line that seperates state and federal waters.

Law prohibits even the targeting of striped bass in federal waters. Possession of fish there is an even worse violation.

But year in and year out, anglers risk fines and internet humiliation by outside the line.

The latest internet chatter deals with a Monday law enforcement operation that featured a boat trying to outrun the Coast Guard. The tale continues that a helicopter got involved. And more Coast Guard vessels.

A call to the Coast Guard PAO got the skinny.

Yep, a boat had been chased into Rudee Inlet and it had been boarded. Fish filets and carcasses were found on board. But since this was the Coast Guard, they couldn't file state charges for cutting up game fish on a vessel underway.

According to the PAO, no charges were filed in the incident. There is little doubt, though, that the captain in question and his charter were plenty scared.

Maybe they shouldn't have given the Guard cause for chase.

The bottom line is that it is striped bass season along the coast. Many anglers are going to be tempted to cross the line and fish illegally.

The Coast Guard warns that Operation Striper Swiper 2009 has begun. A few boats will get caught outside the line. But the majority who choose to break the law will skirt by and bring their illegal catch to the docks.

Which leads to the second fishing question of the day.

Is it worth it?

Striper operations in full swing | HamptonRoads.com | PilotOnline.com

Dennis)

 

[mainiac2]

I guess they lost the war on drug interdiction so they have to go after easier targets.

 

[stanleybros]

If people would not the break the frigging law, the CG would not be trying to enforce it.

 

[Wild Bill]

Seems like heavy on costs and effort and light on results. You have to wonder about CG priorities. We have a drug problem, illegal alien problem and terrorist problem and the CG spends big money chasing a couple of striper fillets. Before anyone jumps on me for my opinion, I do not keep stripers any time of the year in any location. They are more valuable to me as a sport fish.

Looks as the newspapers now gets their news from Tidalfish.

 

[hookinfinger]

If people would not the break the frigging law, the CG would not be trying to enforce it.

Well if it ain't stanleybros. Where have you been hiding ?

Dennis)

 

[cnaff]

We are stuck with the EEZ.I think we need to embrace it as a final refuge for the (as yet) unreplaced class of BIG fish that some of us can't bear to release for the striper's future.I would love to see a couple of miles of this zone openned up to harvest,say,5-6 miles off the beach instead of merely 3,and a slot limit. Just my 2.

 

[racn35]

I had striper for dinner last night with WILD BILL at the "Rockfish Cafe"......

 

[stripeteasefishing]

This came from the VBSF.net chatroom

CFV Never-e-nuff was chartered and underway fishing past the 3 mi line off of NC. The CG approached vsl who then took off while throwing 20+ fish overboard. NC CG notified VA CG that vsl fled and was heading north. The CG had a helo in the air and quickly located the vsl. A CG response boat from LC was vectored in to the vsl to find them scrubbing their fish holds, 11 POB, and plenty of filets. The punishments are expected to define "the fullest extent of the law"

Not sure if it is the same event or not.

 

[Wild Bill]

I had striper for dinner last night with WILD BILL at the "Rockfish Cafe"......

No you did not.

I do not mind if guys keep them and eat them, I just choose not to.

 

[MDHokie93]

To all those who think the Coast Guard should be focused on other priorities think for a minute about what your saying and put in the context of the AOR (Area of Operation). Sure illegal immigration and drug interdiction are a major concern and target, but how many rafts of Haitians have you seen floating around the mouth of the Chesapeake in January? What is out in the mouth of the bay and in the ocean at this time of year, large schools of striped bass that by federal law are protected in Federal waters. Who's responsibility is enforcement of federal fisheries laws, US Coast Guard.

Also think about this specific example cited in the article, the Coast Guard approaches a fishing vessel and it begins to flee, are they are running because of a few rockfish onboard or are they fleeing because they have some other contra-ban(illegals, drugs, etc.) onboard? Why wouldn't they pursue a vessel that is trying to evade them?

The Coast Guard is charged with alot of responsibilities including SAR(Search and rescue), maritime law enforcement, ship inspections, border patrol, drug interdiction, ATON (Aids to Navigation) Repair and maintenance, the list goes on. This is not just in Virginia but the entire country Alaska and Hawai included. All of this with just slightly more personnel than the NYPD.

The USCG doesn't have the luxury of picking and choosing which responsibilities they will tend to.

 

[EHOIV]

This might be a stupid question from a person that doens't rockfish in the ocean but can you fish outside the EEZ if you are releasing them?

 

[hookinfinger]

This might be a stupid question from a person that doens't rockfish in the ocean but can you fish outside the EEZ if you are releasing them?

You are not suppose to be targeting them while out there.

 

[goose70]

Seems like heavy on costs and effort and light on results. You have to wonder about CG priorities. We have a drug problem, illegal alien problem and terrorist problem and the CG spends big money chasing a couple of striper fillets. Before anyone jumps on me for my opinion, I do not keep stripers any time of the year in any location. They are more valuable to me as a sport fish.

Looks as the newspapers now gets their news from Tidalfish.

Nobody will argue that you're a great steward of the resource, but the problem is that we have way too many selfish scumbags who are the polar opposite of you, could care less about what they're destroying and have complete contempt for any law that gets in their way. The sad fact is that our tax dollars wouldn't be needed for this if people would obey the law, and especially if so many of us wouldn't turn a blind eye when we see/know of violators. If we can't police ourselves, then maybe we don't deserve the coastal fishery at all. Our arguments against commercial fishing look pretty weak against this backdrop.

As for poor results, I agree. It's disappointing. I also know several federal prosecutors in both NC and VA who are aware of and working on the problem (and I'm told that it may not be hard to fix, so scum like the captain/crew mentioned in the article had better enjoy their poaching now while it lasts).

P.S.: Unlike the war on drugs and illegal immigrants, this strikes me as a problem that L.E. can fix fairly efficiently.

 

[Wild Bill]

To all those who think the Coast Guard should be focused on other priorities think for a minute about what your saying and put in the context of the AOR (Area of Operation). Sure illegal immigration and drug interdiction are a major concern and target, but how many rafts of Haitians have you seen floating around the mouth of the Chesapeake in January? What is out in the mouth of the bay and in the ocean at this time of year, large schools of striped bass that by federal law are protected in Federal waters. Who's responsibility is enforcement of federal fisheries laws, US Coast Guard.

Also think about this specific example cited in the article, the Coast Guard approaches a fishing vessel and it begins to flee, are they are running because of a few rockfish onboard or are they fleeing because they have some other contra-ban(illegals, drugs, etc.) onboard? Why wouldn't they pursue a vessel that is trying to evade them?

The Coast Guard is charged with alot of responsibilities including SAR(Search and rescue), maritime law enforcement, ship inspections, border patrol, drug interdiction, ATON (Aids to Navigation) Repair and maintenance, the list goes on. This is not just in Virginia but the entire country Alaska and Hawai included. All of this with just slightly more personnel than the NYPD.

The USCG doesn't have the luxury of picking and choosing which responsibilities they will tend to.

Well stated and true. The CG still has to set priorities and chasing striper fillets in the EEZ is a chickensh!t one.

 

[racn35]

No you did not.

I do not mind if guys keep them and eat them, I just choose not to.

just kidding of course, i thought you were brighter than that Bill, i am on the same page w/ ya.....I eat them on occasion - but they are not even in my top 5 fish i wanna eat

 

[dck4shrt]

Well stated and true. The CG still has to set priorities and chasing striper fillets in the EEZ is a chickensh!t one.

So you're saying that a law enforcement agency shouldn't be enforcing the laws within its jurisdiction?

 

[Wild Bill]

So you're saying that a law enforcement agency shouldn't be enforcing the laws within its jurisdiction?

Yes, there are many laws on the books that never get enforced.

 

[Weekend Warrior]

Thanks Hokie 93

Seems to me that people who are complaining about the Coast Guard enforcing the 3 mile limit are probably the same that are worried about being caught.
Many people are not aware of the responsiblities of the Coast Guard, including those that are deployed around the world including the guys training Iraqi Navy and Marines in southern Iraq that I worked with.

 

[dck4shrt]

Yes.

As far as I can tell, they don't have the liberty to pick and choose which laws they enforce. If it's on the books, they're supposed to enforce it. They didn't sign the bill into law.

 

[Wild Bill]

As far as I can tell, they don't have the liberty to pick and choose which laws they enforce. If it's on the books, they're supposed to enforce it. They didn't sign the bill into law.

I bet there is not a day goes by that the CG does not ignore some violations of a stated law. The internet message board world is not totally the real world.

This comes up every year on TF and the same guys say the same things. I have stated my opinion that I think it a poor use of resources. Others differ. I am out of this one now.