MIDDLETOWN, R.I. (WJAR) — Newly released body camera video shows an environmental police officer finding bags of fish fillets in a fishing crew’s coolers during an inspection in Middletown.
At the start of the video, the officer asks how many “keepers” the fishermen have. One answers, “Six.” But as the officer inspects the coolers, he discovers more.
When the officer says the boat’s operator had told him there were no fish aboard, one fisherman admits, “I lied.”
The crew told environmental police they usually have a commercial fishing license holder aboard, but he was sick that day. The officer explains that recreational fishing limits apply without the license holder present.
Newly released body camera video shows an environmental police officer finding bags of fish fillets in a fishing crew’s coolers during an inspection in Middletown. (Rhode Island DEM)
In the video, the officer counts 136 individual fillets and says they represent 68 fish. Environmental police later reported seizing 140 fillets: 90 suspected to be black sea bass and 50 tautog fillets.
All of the fish were seized, and environmental police later cited one man for fishing violations.
The group was also fined $700 for boating safety violations.