Catching fish out of season is a big no-no. In most places, even if it is accidental, the law states that you must immediately return the fish to the water as quickly as possible. But New York has taken things a step further with a new fishing photography law that makes posting pictures of these out-of-season fish a ticketable offense.
The new regulation was published with the Department of Environmental Conservation’s regulations digest that is given to every angler when they purchase their fishing license.
The regulation reads:
“A person may not fish for a species (even if immediately released) during the closed season for that species on a given water. Fish caught during the closed season must be unhooked and released immediately. They may not be handled for any other purpose, including taking a picture.”
This new fishing photography law means that any time an angler catches a fish out of season, or that is endangered, and then taking the time to snap a quick picture with said fish is illegal and you can be punished with a $250 fine and/or 15 days in jail.