Fishermen Trashing, Defecating On North Fork Beach Sparks Outcry: PD

NORTH FORK, NY — North Fork residents are once again confronted with the issue of fishermen trashing, and defecating on, an area beach, police said.

According to Southold Town police, on May 27, a Southold woman reported "an ongoing issue" with fishermen "leaving trash and defecating" on the beach at 4200 Soundview Avenue, an area near Sound View Dunes Park, created on the former Bittner estate parcel, and preserved county parkland.

She asked police about installing trash cans in the parking lot but was told the area was county property and that she should reach out to Suffolk County Park rangers.

Suffolk County Park rangers did not immediately return a request for comment from Patch.

Neither Suffolk County Legislator Catherine Stark nor Southold Town Supervisor Al Krupski could immediately be reached for comment.

Former Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell said issue had been the subject of concerns in the past. "I received numerous complaints regularly about that and other disgusting behavior on the beaches each year, especially the more remote ones," he said.

Russell added: "Abuse of the beaches is a crisis. We tried to address it in the past with beefed-up patrols and the purchase of quads, etc., but there's only so much that can get patrolled in a town with so many miles of beachfront."

The problem on Southold beaches has sparked ire among residents: In 2020, after a crowd swarmed Cedar Beach in Southold over Memorial Day weekend — fishing in large groups, setting up unauthorized food and watercraft sports trucks, littering, failing to practice social distancing during pandemic days, and even defecating on the beach — Suffolk County cracked down.

County crews were soon at Cedar Beach erecting large signs that said "Suffolk County Residents Only; IDs Will Be Checked" and "Park Closes At Dusk."

Other county workers were seen cleaning the beach and parking lot, which had been left littered with debris, dead fish, and human waste after the long weekend.

Then-Suffolk County Legislator Krupski said that a new booth was set up for an attendant to check identification. Also, he said, no food trucks or vendors of any kind are allowed on the beach.

Parking at Cedar Beach is for Suffolk County residents only and the parking lot closes at dusk.