Maine Marine Patrol issues more than 50 summonses to striped bass anglers

SACO — State marine officers have launched an intensive enforcement campaign along the Saco River this spring, targeting anglers who violate strict regulations designed to protect striped bass populations that have struggled to recover in recent years.

Maine Marine Patrol has issued more than 50 summonses and 20 warnings over the past three weeks alone, according to Carl Wilson, commissioner of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. The violations include fishing within restricted zones near the fishway on Factory Island, casting lines in the closed stretch above the Main Street bridge on the Biddeford side, and failing to immediately release fish that cannot be harvested.

"Unfortunately, many of those summonsed in recent weeks on the Saco River are repeat offenders who have acknowledged understanding of the regulations yet continue to demonstrate a blatant disregard for the resource," Wilson said in a statement to anglers this week. "This disregard for our striped bass resource in the Saco River cannot continue."

Sgt. Matthew Sinclair of Marine Patrol said the summonses have been forwarded to the local district attorney's office and could result in fines ranging from $100 to $1,000. Officers have also confiscated fishing rods in some cases.

The enforcement surge reflects what Sinclair describes as an "exponentially" growing problem. While officers typically issue more warnings than formal summonses, that pattern has reversed this season.

"It has become a much bigger enforcement challenge for us," Sinclair said. "The amount of violations has blown up exponentially."

The Saco River attracts fishermen during the bass migration from their primary spawning grounds in Chesapeake Bay. A fish ladder near Factory Island creates an unusual concentration of baitfish—herring and alewives—that striped bass follow upstream, making the area exceptionally productive.

"Fish in a barrel," Sinclair said, describing the abundance that draws anglers to the restricted zones.

The closure areas themselves stem from a 2023 decision to extend protections after officials observed high mortality rates among released bass. The steep cement embankments and significant drop back to the water proved harmful to fish being returned to the river.

"Just a line of dead striped bass floating down the river," Sinclair recalled. "There wasn't really an adequate way to handle the fish properly and release them in a healthy way."

Current regulations limit anglers to one striped bass per day, with a total length between 28 and 31 inches. Zach Whitener, senior research associate at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, said the requirement protects younger fish critical to the species' recovery while allowing harvest of mature specimens.

The restrictions come as striped bass populations face ongoing pressures from overfishing, climate factors, and shrinking spawning habitat. Whitener noted an unusual trend in this year's catch: fishermen are landing fewer but significantly larger fish—many measuring up to 40 inches.

"It's fun to catch a big fish, but if you're not catching little fish to go with them, you can see yourself there's a population problem," Whitener said.

State estimates indicate Maine's total recreational striped bass catch last year approached 840,000 fish, with about 61,000 actually harvested.

Sinclair said he hopes the enforcement action will encourage anglers to understand the reasoning behind the rules rather than view them as arbitrary restrictions.

"It's not because we like writing tickets," he said. "It's because our agency's mission is to conserve and protect this body of fish."

Along the riverbank at Riverfront Park in Saco, orange markers painted on rocks indicate the 150-foot boundary from the fishway, with bright yellow signs warning that the area is closed to all fishing. Despite the restrictions, anglers position themselves as close as possible to the permitted zones.

Presley and Ace Parenteau, 15-year-old twins from Biddeford, said they carefully stay on the allowed side of the boundary. Their knowledge of the rules came from a straightforward source.

"If you cast past it, you can get a big fine," Presley said.

Yet the fishing remains too good to resist entirely. The brothers said they visit the spot every day after school.

"We catch so many stripers here," Presley said, displaying a photo on his phone of a substantial catch.