Judge lays down hefty fines on DC area recreational fishermen; fines deferred for waterman convicted of poaching

Five men were found guilty in July in Dorchester District Court of poaching 191 striped bass from the Fishing Creek Bridge, according to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.

NRP officers conducting overnight surveillance on May 30, 2014 caught the men exceeding the daily catch limit, keeping undersized striped bass, catching striped bass in a restricted area, and possession of striped bass while fishing between midnight and 5 a.m.

All five men pleaded guilty to exceeding the daily catch limit.

Ricardo Alvarado, 41, of Washington D.C. received a one-year suspension of fishing privileges and a $1,200 fine, plus court costs. Alvarado was already serving a six-month suspension for striped bass violations, set to expire on July 30.