Oyster Poacher Under Lifetime Ban Gets Jail Time; Six Charged with Striped Bass Violations

An oyster poacher under a lifetime commercial fishing ban received jail time and six recreational anglers illegally fishing were charged in cases recently handled by the Maryland Natural Resources Police.

A Wicomico County man was sentenced in district court to six months in jail last Tuesday after pleading guilty to poaching oysters.

Adam Rodney Antes, 33, of Tyaskin, was charged on Jan. 11 with eight counts of poaching after officers measured his catch and found four bushels containing 55 percent, 39 percent, 32 percent and 29 percent undersized oysters.

Antes admitted to dredging oysters just outside Cedar Hill Harbor the previous night.

Four days after he was charged, Antes was permanently banned from commercially fishing in Maryland by an administrative law judge for poaching violations unrelated the Jan. 10 incident.

Judge Michael Burns said the revocation, dated Jan. 15, “was reasonable” given the extent of Antes’ actions, which included accumulating 60 points on his tidal fishing license over two years, nearly double what is required to trigger the revocation hearing process.

Last week, Antes, who was already on two years’ probation for an oyster poaching case from 2015, was ordered to serve his time at the Wicomico County Detention Center. The other seven charges were placed on the stet docket, which means they may be re-opened at any time within one year if the judge’s conditions are violated.

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Six men were charged Sunday with poaching striped bass by officers on saturation patrol near Fishing Creek in Dorchester County.

Fredy Alvarado, 44, and Jose Rosendo Ramierez Hernandez, 31, both of Frederick, received citations for keeping undersized striped bass and exceeding the catch limit.

Alvaro Enrique Morales Jordan, 33, and Melvin Espino-Cardona, 35, both of Laurel, received citations for keeping undersized striped bass and fishing outside legal hours. Espino-Cardona also was charged with exceeding the catch limit and possession of three American shad, a violation that carries a maximum fine of $1,000.

Francisco Javier Solorzano, 46, of Silver Spring, and Angel Arely Morales, 34, of Laurel, received citations for keeping undersized striped bass, exceeding the catch limit and fishing outside legal hours. Solorzano also received a ticket for fishing without a license.

All six men are to appear in Dorchester District Court on July 20. Each striped bass citation carries a maximum penalty of $1,500.