ANNAPOLIS, Md. — The Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) issued numerous citations and made arrests across the state for criminal and natural resource violations from December 2024 to February 2025, with significant enforcement actions impacting Charles and Anne Arundel counties. The charges ranged from hunting violations to illegal oyster harvesting, reflecting ongoing efforts to protect Maryland’s natural resources and public safety.
In Charles County, which borders the Potomac River, NRP officers conducted surveillance in the Jones Shore Bar area near Scotland, targeting illegal oyster harvesting. On January 6, 2025, at approximately 10 a.m., officers observed a commercial boat harvesting oysters. An inspection revealed 16 bushels, with eight tagged to a 79-year-old Ridge man who was not on the vessel, while the other eight belonged to a 23-year-old Dameron man operating the boat.
Both were issued Potomac River Fisheries Commission (PRFC) citations, each facing $500 fines for improper tagging and harvesting practices. On February 24, another incident in the same area involved a 65-year-old Tall Timbers man and a 64-year-old Scotland man, who were caught dredging and hand-scraping oysters in a hand-tong-only zone. They harvested 7.5 bushels illegally and were also issued PRFC citations with $500 fines each.
These incidents highlight a recurring challenge in Charles County, where the Potomac River’s oyster beds are a vital resource, contributing $5 million annually to the local economy, yet face overharvesting risks, as noted in a 2023 Maryland DNR report.
While no specific incidents were reported in Anne Arundel County during this period, the county’s proximity to the Patuxent River State Park—where a Baltimore City resident was cited on December 5, 2024, for white-tailed deer bag limit violations—underscores its relevance to regional enforcement efforts.
The 29-year-old man had harvested an 8-point deer, exceeding the antlered deer limit after already reporting three, and violated antler-point requirements and same-day harvest rules. He faces up to $1,500 in fines. Anne Arundel County, with its 1,200+ deer-related vehicle collisions annually (per 2023 Maryland State Police data), benefits from such enforcement to manage deer populations and reduce public safety risks, though the incident occurred just outside its borders.
Elsewhere, NRP addressed other violations with broader implications. In Prince George’s County, a 28-year-old Washington, D.C., man was charged on December 3 with illegal importation and possession of two live American alligators in a Hyattsville apartment, facing $2,000 in fines. The alligators were relocated to wildlife education centers. On December 5, a 59-year-old Upper Marlboro man was charged with illegally possessing a firearm while hunting on private property in Brandywine, facing up to 4 years in prison and $3,500 in fines due to a prior disqualifying charge from 1991.
The NRP’s actions reflect a broader pattern of enforcement, but questions remain about the effectiveness of deterrence in Charles County, where repeated oyster violations suggest either insufficient penalties or economic pressures driving non-compliance. In Anne Arundel, while not directly cited in this report, past NRP activity—like a 2017 case of illegal hunting in Glen Burnie—indicates ongoing vigilance is necessary to protect local wildlife and communities.
