Do the crime and pay the fine. That’s the message Mattapoisett’s Natural Resources Officer Kathy Massey has for people who try to get away with illegal shellfishing, scalloping and dog owning.

Scallop season is just getting underway, but Massey said that summer shellfish offenders and those neglecting to license their dogs neared 100 offenders so far this year.

Massey said she and her team have caught people shellfishing as early as 7 a.m.

“They thought we weren’t going to be out there,” she said. “We can’t catch them all now, but we will catch them eventually,” she said.

Citations range from $50 to $200, depending on the severity of the infraction.

Massey is particularly baffled by those who choose to fish in areas closed by her department.

“That’s very bad,” she said. “Why would you want to take that home to your children and get sick? They think we close it just because that’s what we feel like doing, I guess.”

While most pay the citations, Massey said three people were recently taken to court.

For offenders, the penalty isn’t only monetary. “We also stop them from purchasing a shellfish permit for the next year,” she said. “A lot of them are repeat offenders.”

Unlicensed dogs are also a big issue for Massey. “We started with 450 unlicensed dogs this year and ended up taking 90 to court,” she said.

How did the lawbreakers respond?

“People were very mean about it,” she said.

She said several people lambasted her for sending a violation notice regarding dogs that had died since last being licensed.

“How am I supposed to know that?” said Massey. “I wasn’t invited to the wake.”

But in the end, of the valid offenders, only six people didn’t pay their fine.

Lawless fishermen and unlicensed dog owners, you have been warned.