Fisherman caught with oversized stripers in NH; planned to sell them in Mass.

Tips from anglers fishing along New Castle and Rye Tuesday afternoon led to authorities busting a fisherman's alleged scheme to illegally keep 14 oversized striped bass and sell the fish in Massachusetts.

New Hampshire Fish and Game’s Law Enforcement Division and Operation Game Thief announced Wednesday the Massachusetts man admitted to his plan after being caught by Portsmouth police Tuesday.

Several reports were made to state conservation officers and New Hampshire's Operation Game Thief tip hotline that a Massachusetts-registered boat was catching and keeping oversized striped bass caught off New Castle and Rye.

The boat fled after several anglers yelled to the operator in question they were alerting Fish and Game, according to the state agency. Fish and Game officers searched the water and alerted other law enforcement, including local police, Maine Marine Patrol and the Massachusetts Environmental Police by issuing a be-on-the-lookout alert for the vessel.

The Portsmouth Police Department found the operator attempting to dispose of the stripers after loading his boat onto a trailer, according to Fish and Game. The agency reported the bass ranged in size from 37 to 47 inches, all far above the legal maximum striper size requirement in New Hampshire.

“New Hampshire only issues a recreational license for saltwater fishing, which allows for one striped bass per angler per day that must be 28 inches to less than 31 inches,” Fish and Game stated.

Fish and Game did not specify where Portsmouth police located the fisherman on Tuesday.

What happens next with fisherman's case (and the fish)

Officers with Fish and Game interviewed the perpetrator, who admitted to his intention to sell the fish under his striped bass permit in Massachusetts, according to the agency.  The suspect has been charged with licensing violations and for taking and illegally possessing each striper.

Fish and Game Col. Kevin Jordan said if the Massachusetts man pleads guilty, he will lose his New Hampshire fishing license and be fined for each of the 14 stripers. If the fisherman pleads not guilty, he could go to trial in Portsmouth District Court, facing Fish and Game prosecutors.

The fish are being held in freezers, should the case go to trial and the court requires the stripers as evidence, according to Jordan.

“They’ll freeze them in the meantime and they could be provided to a food bank or a donation center so they don’t go to waste,” he said.

The state Fish and Game department praised nearby anglers for reporting the illegal activity and fellow law enforcement’s prompt response to stop the suspect.

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“This case exemplified the importance of reporting natural resource violations quickly and with as much detail as possible,” Fish and Game reported.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Fisherman caught with oversized stripers in NH; planned to sell them in Mass.