324 Pounds of Illegal Striped Bass Seized in Chatham

Photo courtesy of MA Environmental Police.

Photo courtesy of MA Environmental Police.

Early in the morning on August 5, 2026, Massachusetts Environmental Police officers responded to a U.S. Coast Guard report regarding a fisherman at Ryder’s Cove in Chatham who was suspected of carrying an illegal commercial catch. According to a Massachusetts , a marine fisheries inspection ensued during which officers discovered multiple violations concerning the taking and possession of commercial striped bass.

In total, the fisherman was found with 18 stripers on a closed commercial day. Of those fish, six were under the legal minimum length of 35 inches. Further investigation revealed the fisherman had also landed a double commercial daily limit. Officers at the scene seized all 324 pounds of striped bass.

Following a civil libel hearing, the catch was forfeited to the MA Commonwealth and valued at $1,863.00. The violator was issued a Massachusetts Environmental Violation Notice carrying an additional $2,905.80 in fines. The Massachusetts Environmental Police have expressed thanks to the United States Coast Guard for their partnership and vital assistance in this case.

Typically, when the Massachusetts Environmental Police confiscate illegal fish catches, they donate those that are fresh and safe to eat to local homeless shelters, charities and food banks. Those that are undersized or unfit for consumption are destroyed. If the fish are spoiled, undersized, or unsafe for consumption, they are destroyed. In certain legal or commercial forfeiture cases, the fish may alternatively be sold through civil proceedings with proceeds going to the Commonwealth.

As a reminder, Massachusetts Environmental Police Officers are in the field daily enforcing Commonwealth laws to protect the Bay State’s natural resources. Anyone who witnesses a natural resource violation is encouraged to contact their 24-hour dispatch center at 1-800-632-8075.