Laws & Licensing·News desk
Massachusetts seizes 324 pounds of illegal commercial stripers in Chatham
Massachusetts Environmental Police got the call before daylight. Early on Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026, the U.S. Coast Guard flagged a fisherman near Ryders Cove in Chatham with suspected illegal commercial striped bass aboard. Officers ran a marine-fisheries inspection and stacked more than one violation on the same trip.
The boat had 18 commercial striped bass on a closed commercial day. Six measured under the 35-inch minimum. Further checking showed the fisherman had landed twice the daily commercial limit.
All 324 pounds were seized and later forfeited to the Commonwealth after a civil libel hearing that assessed $1,863. The fisherman also drew a Massachusetts Environmental Violation Notice for another $2,905.80. Anyone who sees a natural-resource violation can call Environmental Police dispatch at 1-800-632-8075.
Photo: Massachusetts Environmental Police (seized striped bass from the Chatham inspection, via News Link Live).
This is a The Gillnet news desk summary, not a reprint.