On April 8th, while eating at a local restaurant during his off time, CO Scott noticed a live tank which contained several undersized Atlantic cod and a fresh shipment of American lobsters. CO Scott contacted CO Moscatiello and advised him that a market inspection would be a good idea. CO Moscatiello conducted a routine market inspection which yielded three undersized cod and four undersized American lobsters. CO Moscatiello issued the appropriate summonses.

On March 24th, while concluding an evening patrol of Raritan Bay, CO Scott received a tip that several fishermen were burying undersized striped bass underneath a log in Union Beach. CO Scott contacted CO's Klitz and Moscatiello, who were working later into the night, to assist in the inspection. While the fishermen were showing CO Moscatiello their legal catch, CO Klitz located three undersized striped bass buried underneath a large log. After further questioning the CO's located another striped bass hidden inside a tire. The CO's were able to tie a total of four undersized striped bass to one of the fisherman. CO Moscatiello issued summonses to the fisherman for possession of four undersized striped bass and two striped bass over the daily bag limit.

In the early morning hours of March 25th, COs Scott, Klitz, and Moscatiello conducted a commercial fisheries inspection of the FV Miss Brielle at the Point Pleasant Packing Co. dock in Point Pleasant Beach. The vessel had multiple species on board, including summer flounder, scup, monkfish, lobster, skate, and black sea bass. After a cursory look at the amount of fish on board, the COs noticed that the black sea bass were spread over several containers. Realizing this is not the typical way a load of fish is landed, the COs directed the Captain to separate the catch by species. Once all of the species had been separated out it, was clear that there were more black sea bass than was legally permitted. The COs weighed the black sea bass using their state-issued electronic scale. It was discovered that the Captain had landed 59 pounds in excess of the 100 pound by-catch limit of black sea bass. The fish were seized, bid out and sold to the highest bidding dealer. The appropriate summons was issued.

CO Petruccelli apprehended the FV Ocean Pride for landing 50lbs. of summer flounder in excess of the daily trip limit of 1500lbs. CO Harp had previously issued this fishing vessel a written warning for the same violation a few weeks prior. A summons was issued and the F/V Ocean Pride now faces a $300 to $3,000 penalty and a 60 day suspension of its' NJ summer flounder landing permit.

Prior to the opening of the Delaware Bay Commercial Crab Pot Season, CO Petruccelli conducted a boat patrol to look for crabbers setting or tending gear early. CO Petruccelli encountered a string of nine commercial crab pots freshly baited. CO Petruccelli recorded the 3- digit gear ID number and later interviewed the commercial crabber returning to the dock on the opening day of April 6. When most crabbers were busy setting gear, this crabber came back with 27 bushels of crabs. The appropriate summons was issued.

After investigating an abandoned gill net in the Cohansey River, CO Trembley recently charged a Delaware Bay gillnet fisherman with failing to have a gillnet license and wanton waste of marine finfish. CO Swift then conducted a records inspection at the Flag Crab Company revealing that this gillnet fisherman had recently sold 110lbs. of shad and still had not purchased a 2012 gillnet license. CO Swift issued additional charges to the same fisherman after he and CO Stites interviewed him and received a written confession of harvesting and selling shad without a 2012 gill net license.

One late afternoon CO Nicklow observed an individual get dropped off at the currently closed Beesley's Point Bridge in Somers Point. The individual possessed a clam basket with an inner tube, a clam rake, and a fishing pole. Low tide was not until after midnight. CO Nicklow questioned the individual's intentions and observed that he was wearing a wetsuit under his clothes. The individual showed CO Nicklow his 2012 commercial shellfish license and stated that he was going to fish and sleep out in one of the vacated storage buildings overnight. CO Nicklow later determined that the individual's shellfish license privileges were revoked 3 years ago for a period of 5 years. At midnight, Lt. Snellbaker dropped off CO Swift in a kayak to patrol a nearby shellfish lease to make sure the individual was not raiding the lease. Lt. Snellbaker and CO Swift did not find the individual. CO Nicklow apprehended the individual a few days later clamming in Brigantine and issued the appropriate charges.

All 38 patrons charged with taking and possessing black sea bass during the closed season on the party F/V Jamaica recently plead guilty in Brielle court, resulting in $15,330 collected in penalties. Along with the sale of the seized black sea bass for $6,518, the operation netted a total of $21,848.

While patrolling Middle Township's Ingram Thorofare by vehicle, CO Petruccelli observed two commercially licensed clammers harvesting shellfish from waters prohibited to the harvest of shellfish. CO Petruccelli waited for the clammers to return to their vehicle by kayak. The clammers had to take multiple trips to land their 11 untagged bags of hard clams. CO Petruccelli issued summonses for harvesting shellfish from condemned waters and fail to tag each container of shellstock.

CO Tomlin responded to a complaint from a North Wildwood Police Officer in reference to a person possibly harvesting shellfish from condemned waters. CO Tomlin determined that the clammer was not in condemned waters but initiated an inspection when the clammer returned to the ramp by boat. The clammer possessed 1800 clams in 9 containers. The clammer did not have a valid commercial shellfish license and could not produce any identification. After a records check revealed the individual had numerous warrants and was a wanted person in Ocean County, the Ocean County Sheriff's Department responded and arrested the clammer. CO Tomlin issued a summons for clamming without a commercial shellfish license and returned the clams back to the water.

While investigating a separate tautog complaint on the Cold Spring Inlet Jetties, CO Petruccelli observed a vessel containing three fishermen, catching and retaining undersize tautog. CO Petruccelli ran the vessel's registration and found a vehicle and trailer with a matching owner at the Spicer Creek boat ramp. When the vessel returned to the ramp, two of the fishermen exited the vessel to retrieve the vehicle and trailer. When one of the individuals saw CO Petruccelli he yelled to the vessel operator who then backed the vessel out of the ramp and began to head down the creek to avoid CO Petruccelli. CO Petrucelli issued a loud clear verbal command to the vessel's operator to stop making way. The inspection revealed live tautog and resulted in summonses for 18 undersized tautog and 6 tautog over the daily possession limit.

On the opening week of the April-May commercial black sea bass season, CO Petruccelli and an off duty CO Tomlin observed the F/V Sonja H heading back to Cape May Harbor after the vessel called into the Marine Region Office earlier to land black sea bass. As the F/V Sonja H was nearing the Two Mile Inlet, CO Petruccelli and CO Tomlin observed the sister vessel, F/V 307, leave its dock in Cape May Harbor. The two vessels met outside the inlet briefly and returned back to the dock to offload black sea bass. CO Petruccelli observed each vessel offload the legal trip limit of 1000lbs. As CO Petruccelli arrived at the dock to inspect their catch, the captains stated that they each caught their trip limit of 1000lbs. The investigation revealed that the F/V Sonja H had caught and possessed 2000lbs. of black sea bass and transferred 1000lbs of black sea bass at sea to the F/V 307. The Fishing Vessel Trip Reports and a call-in to the Marine Region Office were falsified to show each vessel landing its respective trip limit of 1000lbs. CO Petruccelli issued F/V Sonja H and its captain a summons for possessing 1000lbs. over the daily trip limit of 1000lbs. The black sea bass were seized and sold for their fair market value. Since this is the vessel's second offense, both the F/V Sonja H and its captain are subject to enhanced penalties of $500 to $5,000 and a 120 day suspension of the NJ Black Sea bass Landing Permit. Additional State and Federal charges are pending.