A small stream in the Ozark foothills of Camden County became the scene of a staggering illegal harvest when a group of individuals were caught removing nearly 1,000 fish in one event. According to the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and local reporting, Conservation Agent Justin Emery encountered the individuals in September using cast nets, a method prohibited for sport fish such as smallmouth bass and sunfish.
The haul included:
- 14 smallmouth bass
- 28 redear sunfish
- 237 suckers
- 713 other bait fish
That brings the total to 992 fish removed from the stream in one swoop.
In Missouri, the use of a cast or throw net is only legal in certain situations. Under the regulation covering live bait, bait fish and certain nongame species, may be taken by trap, dip net, throw net, pole and line, or seine. Game fish, such as bass, sunfish, etc, must be “hooked in the mouth or jaw,” making nets illegal for these specie
Three people were cited by MDC agents, and later pleaded guilty in the Camden County court, and were penalized for the illegal harvest. A fourth person in the group was not charged because authorities found they were not directly involved in the taking.
MDC emphasized that the removal of so many fish from a small stream represents a serious threat to local fish populations. The use of cast nets shows that this was not sport fishing but wholesale removal of aquatic life. The department reminds the public that fish poaching is illegal and asks anyone who observes suspicious activity to call the 24-hour Operation Game Thief Hotline at 1-800-392-1111.
