The smell of fish led to a disturbing find during a traffic stop in Barrington early Friday morning, Sept. 13.

The local police officer had ordered the vehicle over to the side of County Road at about 1 a.m. for speeding and when he approached the driver's side window, he noticed the smell of fish. 

The officer took a closer look inside the vehicle, a 2004 Acura MDX, and discovered dozens of undersized striped bass. The fish had been taken illegally that night by the four Worcester, Mass. men inside the vehicle; police said the men were fishing from the Warren River Bridge.

The Barrington officer called the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, but was told no officer was available to respond.

It is not clear whether DEM will cite the men for the violation. The law states striped bass must be a certain length to be kept; it also states that a fisherman can keep only one, legal-sized fish each day.

The officer estimated that between 30 and 40 undersized stripers were inside the vehicle.