FWC Law Enforcement Report

August 1, 2018

The Florida FWC Division of Law Enforcement reported the following activity during the weekly period ending July 5 in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.

ESCAMBIA COUNTY

Officers Clark, Allgood, Manning and Long teamed up in two vessels to work a saltwater fisheries enforcement detail in the Gulf of Mexico. During their patrol, they discovered two different for hire charter boats fishing in federal waters that did not have the proper licenses. A vessel captain conducting a charter fishing trip in federal waters for reef fish is required to have a federal reef fish permit. In addition, one of the charter vessels possessed two king mackerel, which requires a separate permit to possess a coastal migratory species on a for hire vessel. Three federal citations were issued for the violations.

Officer Allgood and Captain Glover were on vessel patrol in the Gulf of Mexico south of Pensacola when the officers arrived on an artificial reef where several vessels were fishing. One of the vessels in the group noticed the officers approaching and attempted to leave the area. As Officer Allgood approached the vessel, the operator spun his vessel around to attempt to conceal the left side of the vessel. Officer Allgood maneuvered his patrol vessel to the left side of the subject’s vessel and Captain Glover boarded the vessel. Captain Glover saw an amberjack laying on the deck of the boat which is currently closed for harvest. After inspection of the fish box, Captain Glover found another undersized amberjack on board the vessel. The operator was issued two federal citations for amberjack out of season and not landing fish in whole condition.

Officer Long was on vessel patrol and stopped a vessel for violating the wake zone near Galvez Landing. After a boating safety inspection, Officer Long noticed several fish tails protruding from the cooler on the vessel. A fisheries inspection revealed that the operator was in possession of five king mackerel, two over the daily bag limit. The operator was issued a citation for over the bag limit of king mackerel and violation of the idle speed zone.

SANTA ROSA COUNTY

Lieutenant Hahr was on vessel patrol on the Blackwater River when he stopped a vessel to address a violation of registration numbering. The subject was operating the vessel with a woman and child on board. Lieutenant Hahr saw indicators of impairment from the operator and after field sobriety tasks, determined that the operator was impaired. The man was arrested and cited for operating a vessel while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

This report represents some events the FWC handled over the past week; however, it does not include all actions taken by the Division of Law Enforcement. Information provided by FWC.

NorthEscambia.com photo.

Comments

5 Responses to “FWC Law Enforcement Report”

  1. MR REALITY on August 1st, 2018 9:09 pm

    sO WHAT ARE THE NAMES OF THE CHARTER BOAT CAPTAINS SO WE KNOW who NOT TO USE….

  2. George lacorte on August 1st, 2018 6:17 pm

    I want to follow the law but there are so many kinds of fish and so many regulations that its hard to know if I am sometimes. I would pay 100.00 for license if I could keep what I catch year round.

  3. just sayin on August 1st, 2018 2:38 pm

    The state of Florida will special permit you to death. One saltwater license should cover all legal species.

  4. Randy Webb on August 1st, 2018 11:09 am

    FWC officers are deputized federal agents for fisheries enforcement in federal waters..they have all the jurisdiction that they need

  5. curious on August 1st, 2018 9:59 am

    Curious as to what jurisdiction state officers have to give tickets in federal waters? I’m all for ticketing offenders and especially charter boat captains that fish illegally but still, jurisdiction is just that. Any charter captains that fish illegally should have their licenses suspended on the first offense, revoked on the second with an option to re-apply after a year. They’ve ruined the rec fisherman’s season for years now.