For Release: Friday, June 1, 2007
DEC Announces Investigation Results of Enforcement Detail
Several Charged with Violations of Environmental Conservation Laws In Horseshoe Crab Detail
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today announced the results of a Department-organized enforcement detail involving several Environmental Conservation Officers (ECO) and DEC's Marine Enforcement Unit (MEU) that took place the evening of May 30, 2007 through early morning of May 31, 2007. The investigation was organized in response to local complaints of unlawful harvest of horseshoe crabs in the along the north and south shores of the Long Island waters in the Towns of Brookhaven, Smithtown, and Islip, Suffolk County.
The Officers were in marked and unmarked vehicles, and two patrol vessels. Tracking both the north and south shores, the officers arrested 8 individuals, issuing a total of twelve Environmental Conservation Appearance Ticket (ECAT's) for commercial fishing violations including unpermitted taking, harvesting more than the allowable limit, and several Navigation Law tickets for operating vessels at night without lights. Additionally, a Department ECO made a felony DWI arrest during the detail.
If the value of the catch is over $250, the charge is upgraded to a misdemeanor, if the value is over $1500; the charge is upgraded to a felony.
Below are the apprehended subjects:
David Hartmann (dob-08/18/78) of E. Patchogue
40.1 (b)(1)(iii) - Possess Horseshoe Crab in excess of Daily Trip Limit (1572 HS Crab over) Felony
44.7(c)(1) Possession of commercial limits of HS Crab w/o a permit (1572 HS Crab Over) Felony
Navigation law 43.2 (a) Fail to Display Nav. lights
Paul E. Sharkey (dob-08/07/78) of Quogue
40.1 (b)(1)(iii) - Possess Horseshoe Crab in excess of Daily Trip Limit (313 HS Crab over 5/30/07 11:00pm) Misdemeanor
40.1 (b)(1)(iii) - Possess Horseshoe Crab in excess of Daily Trip Limit (1572 HS Crab over 5/31/07 1:00am) Felony
Ken R. Wolfe (dob-3/26/07) of Islip
44.7(b)(5) Possession Horseshoe Crab in excess of Daily Trip Limit (680 HS Crab over) Misdemeanor
Joseph W. Drago (WRITTEN WARNING)
44.7(c)(1) Possession of commercial limits of HS Crab w/o a permit
Ronald L. Parry (dob-9/9/57) of Islip
44.7(b)(5) Possession Horseshoe Crab in excess of Daily Trip Limit (767 HS Crab over) Misdemeanor
44.7(c)(1) Possess Commercial Limits of Horseshoe Crab w/o a permit (767 HS Crab Over) Misdemeanor
Michael G. Mason (dob-12/14/64)
44.7(b)(5) Possession Horseshoe Crab in excess of Daily Trip Limit (767 HS Crab over) Misdemeanor
44.7(c)(1) Possess Commercial Limits of Horseshoe Crab w/o a permit (767 HS Crab over) Misdemeanor
Edward Kattar (dob-06/11/581)of Patchogue
44.7(c)(1) Possess Commercial Limits of Horseshoe Crab w/o a permit Violation
Richard B. Winkler (dob-08/13/56)of Miller Place
44.7(c)(1) Possess Commercial Limits of Horseshoe Crab w/o a permit Violation
Felony DWI Arrest John M Cataldo (dob 06/02/77) of Centereach
Vehicle and Traffic Law 1192.2 Prior DWI conviction in June 2004 makes this incident a felony
In addition, on May 13, 2007 ECOs apprehended the following subjects after docking their vessel in Great South Bay and offloading HSC into a Shipper/dealer's truck.
James Harkins (dob-06/03/65) of Medford
44.7(b)(5) Possession Horseshoe Crab in excess of Daily Trip Limit (478 HS Crab over) Misdemeanor
44.7(c)(1) Possess Commercial Limits of Horseshoe Crab w/o a permit (478 HS Crab over) Misdemeanor
John Fields (dob 9/21/73) of Patchogue
44.7(b)(5) Possession Horseshoe Crab in excess of Daily Trip Limit (478 HS Crab over) Misdemeanor
44.7(c)(1) Possess Commercial Limits of Horseshoe Crab w/o a permit (478 HS Crab over) Misdemeanor
Navigation law 42.5 speed over 5 mph within 100' of shore Infraction
Vehicle and traffic law 2251.1 Improperly marked registration numbers on a vessel Infraction
Shipper/dealer- Jeffery Mannheimer Jmann Seafood, (dob 10/28/72) of Medford
Purchase from an unlicensed fisherman (2 counts) Violation
To learn more about DEC Marine Licenses and Permits, visit the DEC website at http://www.dec.ny.gov/permits/6084.html .
