New Law Imposes Stiff Fines, Jail Time for Over-Fishing Striped Bass
While the limits and regulations will stay the same, catching too many and undersized striped bass could now land you in jail.
A new law that was passed last week will impose tougher fines and possibly even jail time for fishermen who catch more than the legal limit or undersized striped bass. According to the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, first-offense charges include a fine of at least $100 per fish taken (the fine was previously $50) as well as the potential for imprisonment of up to 90 days in jail. But DEM reminds those who fish that the new penalties are not created for your everyday fisherman who takes home a fish a little undersized. "The law is not meant to target the incidental fishermen who occasionally take home a fish that's 27 and three quarter inches long. The law is for people who take an overload of striped bass, those who …
