DEM seizes 9ft tuna from Massachusetts charter they say was fishing illegally in RI waters

DEM seizes 9ft tuna from Massachusetts charter they say was fishing illegally in RI waters

Source: providencejournal

9/19/2022

The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management seized a 113-inch — or 9.4ft — giant bluefin tuna from a Massachusetts charter boat last week and issued a criminal summons for the boat's captain.

The fish was seized after environmental police officers determined that the captain had paying clients on his vessel and didn't have the required state commercial fishing license and permit to fish in Rhode Island state waters, the DEM said.

Environmental police officers made contact with the boat in state waters east of Point Judith and saw that the captain had a recently killed tuna secured to his vessel, the DEM said.
The boat was escorted to port, where the fish was seized and sold to a licensed dealer, the DEM said. The money from the sale is being held in escrow.

Atlantic bluefin tuna