Substitute House Bill No. 6248 proposes to increase the penalty for violations related to the illegal taking of striped bass in Connecticut. The bill establishes that any person who violates regulations concerning striped bass, whether in marine or inland waters, will be committing an infraction and will incur a fine of $250. This new fine replaces the previous fines of $154 for inland waters and $75 for marine waters. The bill clarifies that an infraction is not classified as a crime, allowing individuals to either pay the fine by mail or plead not guilty in accordance with existing legal provisions.

The bill is set to take effect upon passage and aims to enhance compliance with state regulations governing striped bass, which include rules on minimum legal lengths and daily creel limits. The increased fines are expected to generate minimal additional revenue for the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), with estimates suggesting that approximately 300 violations occurred statewide in the previous year. The bill's fiscal impact indicates that for every 100 violations in inland waters, DEEP could see an additional $9,600 in revenue, while marine water violations could yield an additional $17,500 for every 100 violations.