DEC: Man charged in illegal oyster harvest

A Medford man has been charged with illegally harvesting oysters from the Nissequogue River in Kings Park, officials said.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation said John P. Martell, 46, of 2905 Watch Hill Ave., was confronted by DEC officers about 10 p.m. on Feb. 23 as he loaded bags containing 800 oysters into his vehicle. The officers had followed Martell after they saw him walking along the Nissequogue River near Riviera and Locust drives in the San Remo section of Kings Park, the DEC said in a Monday news release.

The Nissequogue River is closed to shellfishing because of high bacteria levels.

Martell was charged with five misdemeanors -- failure to tag shellfish, possession of commercial shellfish quantities at night, taking shellfish at night, possession of shellfish at night and taking shellfish from an uncertified body of water, officials said. Each charge carries a maximum sentence of a $1,000 fine and/or one year in jail.

Taking shellfish is prohibited from sunset to sunrise so that law enforcement officials can monitor shellfishing, the DEC said in a release.

Martell also was charged with failure to carry a commercial shellfish digger license, a violation that carries a potential $250 fine. Martell is to be arraigned on March 23 in First District Court in Central Islip.

Martell could not be reached for comment.