Commercial conch waterman arrested

BOWERS BEACH, DELAWARE (7/28/2015) A commercial conch waterman was arrested after he tried to evade Delaware Natural Resources Police, authorities reported today.

The incident happened Friday in the Delaware Bay off Bowers Beach.

Kenneth W. Bailey, 61, of Heislerville, N.J., who is licensed by Delaware and was the captain of the commercial vessel, steered into the path of a patrol boat, Cpl. John McDerby said, and nearly caused a collision.

Police were trying to board Bailey’s boat to assure compliance with fishing regulations.

McDerby said the crew on Bailey’s boat was seen dumping the contents of several bushel baskets of conch into the bay despite a police command to stop.

He was charged with felony tampering with evidence, second-degree reckless endangering, unlawful possession of horseshoe crabs for use as bait without a valid receipt and 103 counts of possession of undersized knobbed conch.

He was released pending a future appearance in the Court of Common Pleas.