Would you believe in an advanced Doplar-based marine radar system that can detect a 3-foot-square object from 7 miles away?  Well, you better because it might just be zoomed in on you next time you’re fishing on the Chesapeake Bay. Last night, I attended a presentation by the Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) about a new law enforcement tool called MLEIN. That stands for the Marine Law Enforcement Information Network.  It’s a mobile command center consisting of radar monitoring, video surveillance, and advanced software that allows the NRP to keep a very close watch on what’s happening on the water.  I was invited to the presentation by Candy Thomson.  Yes, the former Baltimore Sun Outdoors Girl has skipped across College creek to a new position in Annapolis as the Public Information Officer for the NRP.  I first heard about MLEIN a couple of years ago in one of her articles in the Sun Paper.  You can read it here.  http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2010-12-14/sports/bs-sp-chesapeake-security-system-20101214_1_radar-units-mlein-cameras

That article reveals a little more than DNR Special Projects Manager Tim Bowman gave away in his presentation last night.  Nevertheless, his updates for 2014 were extremely informative.  The twenty-something people in attendance – including 8 guys from CCA Maryland – were glued to their seats as Bowman showed real-life examples of how the system worked. Read More!

I’ve had my share of embarrassments in recent years. There was the time at a bluegrass show when, immediately after performing “How Many Biscuits Can You Eat,” I choked on a country ham sandwich. I’m the guy who tripped over the curb a while back as I stepped up to shake hands with the Vice President of the United States. I’ve fallen out of boats, pitched backward off barstools, stumbled up escalators, tumbled down stairs, and spilled enough drinks at public dinners to float the Oxford-Bellevue Ferry.  Some of my hall-of-shame moments have been painful, and others downright funny, but there’s nothing remotely entertaining about my most recent embarrassment. In fact, everyone in Maryland shares my latest shame. Last week, Chesapeake Bay anglers found and reported another fourteen hundred yards of illegal gill net containing more than three tons of dead and rotting fish. Add another nickname to the list that includes The Free State and The Old Line State:  Maryland – The Poaching State. Read More!