02-07-2007, 07:10 PM
Hillsboro, Maryland - Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) report a busy oyster season on the Chesapeake Bay this winter. So far officers have charged 16 individuals with oyster harvesting violations in Talbot County; charges are pending on eight other individuals.
David Wayne Crow, 48, of Tilghman and Kevin Steven Tarleton, 36, of St. Michaels were charged with taking oysters after hours on December 29, in Broad Creek. Crow was also charged with possession of unculled oysters and operating without navigational lights at nighttime.
Tilghman Anthony Brown, 51, Thomas Keith Smith, 46 and Terrance Dale Roy, 42, of Stevensville, and Bryan Carroll Ford, 53, of Queenstown were charged with diving for oysters in a hand tong only area in the Wye East River on January 3.
On January 9, Norman Benjamin Murphy, 55, Norman Brandon Murphy, 29, Bartlett Wade Murphy Jr., 32 and Edward Bruce Lowery Jr., 41, all of Tilghman, along with David Bryan Phillips, 43, and Anne Willis Phillips, 40, both of Wittman, were each charged with power dredging in an area reserved for hand tonging only in Broad Creek. Bartlett Wade Murphy, Jr. and Lowery were also charged with failure to have license available for inspection.
On January 18, William Thomas Cummings, 52, of Tilghman was charged with possession of unculled oysters.
On January 23, Burton Robert Curtis, 21, of Tilghman was charged with taking oysters from an area closed by the Maryland Department of the Environment in Cummings Creek.
And on January 31, Charles Daniel Haddaway, 19, and James Brent Haddaway, 25, both of Tilghman, were charged with power dredging in an area reserved for hand tonging only in Harris Creek.
The commercial oyster season for tonging and diving runs through March 30, Monday through Friday from sunrise to 3 p.m., with a limit of 15 bushels per licensee and not to exceed 30 bushels per boat.
The commercial oyster season for power dredge also runs through March 30 in designated areas of Calvert, Dorchester, Somerset, St. Mary's and Talbot counties, Monday through Friday from sunrise to 3 p.m., with a limit of 12 bushels per licensee and not to exceed 24 bushels per boat. A permit is required for power dredge.
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The Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) is the enforcement arm of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). With an authorized strength of 280 officers and a dedicated staff of civilian and volunteer personnel, the NRP provide a variety of services in addition to conservation and boating law enforcement duties throughout the State of Maryland. These services include homeland security, search and rescue, emergency medical services, education, information and communications services on a round the clock basis. NRP is the only police force aside from the Maryland State Police that has statewide jurisdiction.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages nearly one-half million acres of public lands and 17,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland's forests, fisheries and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic and cultural resources attract 12 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland's effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state's number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov
Media Contact:
Sgt. Ken Turner<br />
(410) 260-8003 (o)<br />
(443) 534-5598 (cell)<br />
kturner@dnr.state.md.us
David Wayne Crow, 48, of Tilghman and Kevin Steven Tarleton, 36, of St. Michaels were charged with taking oysters after hours on December 29, in Broad Creek. Crow was also charged with possession of unculled oysters and operating without navigational lights at nighttime.
Tilghman Anthony Brown, 51, Thomas Keith Smith, 46 and Terrance Dale Roy, 42, of Stevensville, and Bryan Carroll Ford, 53, of Queenstown were charged with diving for oysters in a hand tong only area in the Wye East River on January 3.
On January 9, Norman Benjamin Murphy, 55, Norman Brandon Murphy, 29, Bartlett Wade Murphy Jr., 32 and Edward Bruce Lowery Jr., 41, all of Tilghman, along with David Bryan Phillips, 43, and Anne Willis Phillips, 40, both of Wittman, were each charged with power dredging in an area reserved for hand tonging only in Broad Creek. Bartlett Wade Murphy, Jr. and Lowery were also charged with failure to have license available for inspection.
On January 18, William Thomas Cummings, 52, of Tilghman was charged with possession of unculled oysters.
On January 23, Burton Robert Curtis, 21, of Tilghman was charged with taking oysters from an area closed by the Maryland Department of the Environment in Cummings Creek.
And on January 31, Charles Daniel Haddaway, 19, and James Brent Haddaway, 25, both of Tilghman, were charged with power dredging in an area reserved for hand tonging only in Harris Creek.
The commercial oyster season for tonging and diving runs through March 30, Monday through Friday from sunrise to 3 p.m., with a limit of 15 bushels per licensee and not to exceed 30 bushels per boat.
The commercial oyster season for power dredge also runs through March 30 in designated areas of Calvert, Dorchester, Somerset, St. Mary's and Talbot counties, Monday through Friday from sunrise to 3 p.m., with a limit of 12 bushels per licensee and not to exceed 24 bushels per boat. A permit is required for power dredge.
###
The Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) is the enforcement arm of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). With an authorized strength of 280 officers and a dedicated staff of civilian and volunteer personnel, the NRP provide a variety of services in addition to conservation and boating law enforcement duties throughout the State of Maryland. These services include homeland security, search and rescue, emergency medical services, education, information and communications services on a round the clock basis. NRP is the only police force aside from the Maryland State Police that has statewide jurisdiction.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages nearly one-half million acres of public lands and 17,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland's forests, fisheries and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic and cultural resources attract 12 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland's effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state's number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov
Media Contact:
Sgt. Ken Turner<br />
(410) 260-8003 (o)<br />
(443) 534-5598 (cell)<br />
kturner@dnr.state.md.us