The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) Division of Law Enforcement enforces the 71 chapters of New York State’s Environmental Conservation Law (ECL), protecting fish and wildlife and preserving environmental quality across New York. In 1880, the first eight Game Protectors proudly began serving to protect the natural resources and people of New York State. In 2023, the Division of Law Enforcement fielded more than 101,500 calls, resulting in Environmental Conservation Police Officers (ECOs) and Investigators across the state responding to more than 30,932 complaints and working on cases that resulted in nearly 16,900 tickets or arrests for violations ranging from deer poaching to solid waste dumping, illegal mining, the illegal pet trade, and excessive emissions violations.

“Environmental Conservation Police Officers and Investigators serving in DEC’s Division of Law Enforcement are working tirelessly across the state to protect natural resources and public safety while holding poachers and polluters accountable,” DEC Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar said. “DEC looks forward to continuing to work with our local, State, and federal law enforcement partners to ensure compliance with New York’s stringent environmental conservation laws and promote the safe and responsible enjoyment of the outdoors.”

Unlawful Sale of Crocodile Meat – New York County

On July 27, acting on a tip from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, ECOs Ableson and Keegan teamed up with the New York City Police Department (NYPD) to investigate the unlawful sale of crocodile meat. DEC undercover Officers located the dried crocodile meat in a specialty shop in Lower Manhattan and confirmed the meat was being sold without the proper permits. Special permits are required in New York for the sale of alligator, crocodile, and caiman products. Officers seized the crocodile meat and charged the store with a criminal misdemeanor for unlawfully offering crocodile meat for sale. The store faces a fine of up to $5,000.

Crocodile meat unlawfully offered for sale in New York City (photo attached)

Welfare Check – Lake Placid

On Aug. 1, a New York State Police Trooper contacted ECO Buffa requesting assistance with a welfare check at a camp on Lake Placid only accessible by boat. The Troopers received information that an elderly couple had left a marina later than usual and the caller was concerned the couple might not have safely returned to their camp in the dark. ECO Buffa transported two Troopers out on the lake by boat, located the property, and confirmed the individuals had made it safely back to their camp.

Boa Rescue – Erie County

At midnight on Aug. 2, ECO Damrath received a call from Lackawanna Police seeking assistance with a large, unknown species of snake reportedly found by an individual in a vacant house. ECO Damrath arrived at the location a short time after receiving the call and took possession of the reptile, identified as a boa constrictor. The Officer then took the snake to an animal hospital for evaluation. A reptile rescue group will eventually find the boa constrictor a new home.

ECO Damrath seizes boa constrictor discovered at vacant home in Erie County (photo attached)

Snakes in the Yard – Delaware County

ECO Osborne responded to six separate rattlesnake complaints over the past several weeks, including five at the same residence in Delaware County.

July 22, a town of Hancock resident reported a timber rattlesnake near the front entrance of his home. ECO Osborne, a member of the DEC’s Division of Law Enforcement Wildlife Response Team, responded and safely removed and relocated the snake.

ECO Osborne responded to the same residence on July 29, Aug. 5, and Aug. 11, removing four more rattlesnakes, including a possible mating pair.

In addition, on Aug. 4, Officer Osborne received a complaint of a five-foot-long timber rattlesnake on the deck of a home in the town of Deposit, also in Delaware County. The ECO responded, located the snake, safely removed it, and relocated it back into the wild

Timber rattlesnakes typically mate from late summer into the fall. They are venomous pit vipers native to New York State and are considered a threatened species, protected by State law.

Timber rattlesnakes seldom display aggression unless defending themselves.

The public is reminded to leave snakes alone, observe snakes from a safe distance, and call ECOs or DEC’s Division of Fish and Wildlife for assistance with removal.

Timber rattlesnake discovered near a residence in the town of Hancock, Delaware County (photo attached)

National Night Out Against Crime – New York and Kings County

On Aug. 6, ECOs participated in a “National Night Out Against Crime” event in two New York City neighborhoods. National Night Out is an annual community event that promotes building communities and fostering positive relationships between police and local residents to help make neighborhoods safer. ECOs Rappold and Broughton attended the event in the Seagate community in Brooklyn; Officer Farner and Lieutenant Levanway joined festivities in Chinatown in Manhattan. The Officers answered questions from the residents and promoted DEC Division of Law Enforcement efforts to protect New York’s natural resources and public health.

Fishing Compliance Checks – Suffolk and Nassau Counties

ECOs conducting fishing compliance checks on Long Island encountered quite a few anglers who disregarded State regulations related to the size of the fish caught.

• On July 22, ECO Cacciola received a complaint about a large group of people taking undersized crabs at Mascot Dock in Patchogue Bay, town of Islip. Officer Cacciola responded to the location and observed the group measuring crabs but not throwing any back into the water. Some members of the group eventually returned to their vehicle with a bucket and nets and took off before Officer Cacciola could stop them. DEC dispatch provided an address for the registered owner of the vehicle and ECO Cacciola conducted a compliance check at the residence 20 minutes away, arriving as the men unloaded their crab nets in the driveway. They were neatly sorting their catch, with legal crabs in the bucket and 47 undersized crabs in a red shopping bag. ECO Cacciola issued tickets to the driver of the vehicle for possession of undersized crabs, returnable to Suffolk County First District Court.
  

• On July 27, ECO Day conducted a fishing compliance check on a boat entering the Cedar Beach boat ramp in Mount Sinai, Suffolk County. Five anglers on board claimed the porgy they had caught measured, but ECO Day discovered several undersized fish inside a cooler on the boat. The Officer counted and measured 105 porgy and three black sea bass. Eighty of the porgy and all three black sea bass were shorter than legal size limits in New York. ECO Day ticketed the five anglers for possession of undersized porgy. Three subjects admitting to catching one sea bass each received tickets for possession of undersized black sea bass and one subject was ticketed for failing to possess a New York Marine Registry. All tickets are returnable to Suffolk County First District Court.

• On July 29, while driving along the Meadowbrook Parkway, ECO Pabes observed multiple people along Short Beach in Nassau County with flashlights. Officer Pabes requested assistance from ECO Hilton and observed the group quietly. Once Officer Hilton arrived at the location, both ECOs went to the beach and conducted compliance checks on nine people with multiple buckets and coolers filled mostly with Atlantic silverside baitfish. The Officers also located 21 winter flounder, five summer flounder, and two bluefish. All fish caught by the group were 11 inches or smaller, under the size limit. In addition, winter flounder season closed in May, summer flounder must measure at least 19 inches, and blue fish and flounder cannot be taken with a net without a food fish license. Furthermore, no member of the group possessed the required Marine Registry. The Officers issued tickets for possession of fish out of season, possession of undersized fish, taking fish by commercial means without a license, and no Marine Registry. All tickets are returnable to Nassau County First District Court and the fish were seized as evidence.
  

• On Aug. 5, ECOs received two complaints at nearly the same time about people taking undersized blue claw crabs at Blue Point dock in Suffolk County. Officers also received a video of one of the subjects and a description of the vehicle used to hide the crabs. ECO Cacciola, who was closest to the area, responded and watched the group from a distance until ECOs Paschke and Perkins arrived. The Officers discovered two vehicles with undersized crabs hidden inside and more crabs hidden inside buckets in nearby vegetation. Officers charged three individuals from three separate groups for possession of undersized blue claw crabs.
  

Undersized crabs caught illegally at Mascot Dock in Patchogue Bay, Suffolk County (photo attached)

Undersized porgy and black sea bass caught illegally and seized from a boat entering Cedar Beach in Suffolk County (photo attached)

Fish seized from illegal netting activity in Nassau County (photo attached)

To contact an ECO to report an environmental crime or to report an incident, call 1-844-DEC-ECOS for 24-hour dispatch or email (for non-urgent violations).