In the first half of 2025, DEC’s Division of Law Enforcement fielded an estimated 45,000 calls, resulting in Environmental Conservation Police Officers (ECOs) and Investigators across the state responding to more than 18,934 complaints and working on cases that resulted in 9,440 tickets or arrests for violations ranging from deer poaching to solid waste dumping, illegal mining, the illegal pet trade, and excessive emissions violations.
ECO Fishing Compliance Checks – Statewide
Undersized and over the daily limit of fish were common themes in this week’s statewide ECO fishing compliance checks. Here are some of the more notable cases handled by our Officers:
On July 20, ECO Day responded to a complaint about a group of anglers taking undersized blue crabs from the pier at Osprey Park in Mastic Beach, Suffolk County. Officer Day arrived at the location in time to see the group of four packing up and preparing to leave the area. As ECO Day approached the group, one of the individuals carrying a cooler walked behind a tree and then reemerged without the cooler. Officer Day checked the cooler and discovered several blue crabs less than the legal size of 4.5 inches. The Officer found additional undersized crabs inside a cooler and a backpack inside the angler’s vehicle, resulting in a total of 88 crabs with 77 of them less than the legal size limit. Fortunately, most of the crabs were alive and able to be released to the water. Each member of the group received a ticket for possession of undersized blue crabs.
On the evening of July 30, ECO Day conducted fishing compliance checks at a small village park in Northport, Suffolk County, and observed an individual pull a small boat up to a dock and offload a large cooler. Officer Day checked the cooler and discovered six striped bass all measuring greater than the maximum size allowed of 31 inches. The Officer issued the subject tickets for possession of out-of-slot striped bass, possession of over the daily limit of striped bass, and failure to have a valid marine registry. The fish were confiscated and donated to a local wildlife rehabilitation center for osprey and bald eagles.
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To contact an ECO to report an environmental crime or to report an incident, call 1-844-DEC-ECOS for 24-hour dispatch or email (for non-urgent violations).
