ANNAPOLIS, Md., June 24, 2025 — Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) charged numerous individuals with violations of criminal and natural resource laws across Southern Maryland from March to May, targeting offenses such as illegal fishing, hunting out of season, baiting game animals, and weapons violations. The enforcement actions spanned multiple counties, including St. Mary’s, Talbot, Allegany, and Washington, addressing issues like undersized fish possession, illegal gill netting, and prohibited firearm use during hunting.
In St. Mary’s County, on May 26, NRP officers caught two fishermen on the St. Mary’s River with 28 undersized croaker, all measuring below the legal 9-inch limit. The men, a 41-year-old from Mount Rainier and a 29-year-old from Annandale, Va., face charges for possessing 11 or more undersized fish, with potential fines up to $1,000 for a first offense and $2,000 or one year in prison for a second. Officers recovered 18 fish from the boat’s cooler and 10 floating in the water after one suspect attempted to discard evidence.
On May 17, in Piney Point, NRP responded to a report of a boater entangled in an illegal monofilament gill net near a petroleum station on the Potomac River. Two men from Riverdale Park, ages 18 and 26, were charged with multiple offenses, including fishing without a license, using an illegal gill net, and possessing 41 striped bass (11 outside the 19-24-inch legal size limit), eight undersized croaker, and several spot with gill net marks. One suspect, wanted for another crime, was arrested. The pair faces up to $5,000 in fines.
In Talbot County, on May 20, a 55-year-old Stevensville man was cited for throwing rocks at a father and son fishing in Shipping Creek, interfering with their lawful fishing. The suspect admitted to the act and faces a $1,000 fine for a first offense. In Washington County, on May 11, NRP seized a 20-gauge shotgun and ammunition from a 40-year-old Greencastle, Pa., man hunting turkeys at Indian Springs Wildlife Management Area. Prohibited from possessing firearms due to a 2016 conviction, he faces up to four years in prison and $2,000 in fines.
Allegany County saw enforcement on April 24, when an 18-year-old Barton man on a dirt bike at Dan’s Mountain Wildlife Management Area struck an officer while fleeing. Identified later through community tips, he faces charges including second-degree assault, reckless driving, and attempting to elude police, with penalties up to 15 years in prison and over $10,000 in fines. In Caroline County, on April 19, a 64-year-old Preston man, barred from possessing firearms due to a felony conviction, was charged with illegal firearm possession while turkey hunting, facing up to 19 years and $2,000 in fines.
Turkey hunting violations were prevalent. On April 18, the opening day of spring turkey season, NRP cited multiple individuals for hunting over bait. In Kent County, a 53-year-old Worton man was charged for hunting near fresh milo, admitting knowledge of the bait, facing a $1,500 fine. In Gambrills, two men, ages 45 and 58, were cited for hunting near corn feeders, with two shotguns seized and each facing $1,500 fines. Similar charges were issued in Frederick and Washington counties, where individuals hunted over corn and milo, each facing $1,500 fines.
In Dorchester County, on April 14, a 57-year-old Cambridge man violated a deer management permit by killing four sika deer, including two antlered ones, against permit rules allowing only antlerless deer. He also failed to wear fluorescent orange or tag the deer, facing $7,500 in fines. On March 23, in Somerset County, a 39-year-old from Charleston, W.Va., was charged with spotlighting and killing two sika deer out of season, with a loaded rifle and spotlights found in his truck. He faces $7,500 in fines.
Talbot County saw a commercial oyster bust on March 18, where a 61-year-old Tilghman Island man and a 31-year-old McDaniel man were caught harvesting oysters near a private pier without proper licenses or surcharges. The primary suspect faces nearly $50,000 in fines for multiple charges, including giving a false name to avoid prosecution.
NRP’s actions reflect ongoing efforts to protect Maryland’s natural resources, with violations carrying significant fines and potential imprisonment. The agency continues patrols and surveillance to enforce compliance, particularly during hunting and fishing seasons, to preserve wildlife and ensure public safety.
