DEC: Captain exceeded fish catch limits

A Greenport commercial fishing boat captain faces felony charges after he exceeded the limits on catches of fluke and porgies, according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

Sidney Smith, 56, of Greenport, had 6,870 pounds more than the limit of porgies and 1,022 pounds more than the limit of fluke on June 15, when two DEC compliance officers inspected his vessel, Merit, at the Greenport commercial fisherman's dock, the state agency said in a news release.

In addition, Merit also had 264 pounds of black sea bass, more than 200 pounds over the daily 50-pound limit for the species, a misdemeanor under Environmental Conservation Law, according to the DEC.

The DEC said "the commercial value of this underreported haul could have netted the fishing boat captain approximately $10,000 if they had been sold at market on the day of the catch."

Peter A. Scully, Region 1 director, said fishing more than the allowable limits "has a devastating impact on our local marine populations and people who depend on viable fishing stocks to make a living."

According to Capt. Timothy Huss of DEC's Division of Law Enforcement in Region 1, the vessel's trip report records had been falsified to show catches that met the required fishing limits.

Smith could not be reached for comment.