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FWC Law Enforcement Report: Fishing And Boating Violations
September 12, 2023
The Florida FWC Division of Law Enforcement reported the following recent activity:
ESCAMBIA COUNTY
Officer Hahr was patrolling the Mahogany Mill Public Boat Ramp, when he observed a charter angler and his crew cleaning fish near the ramp. While conducting a resource inspection of the catch, Officer Hahr observed two undersized greater amberjacks. The captain of the vessel was charged with possession of undersized greater amberjack.
While conducting marine fisheries enforcement at the 17th Avenue Boat Launch, Officer Lugg pulled into the parking lot and observed an individual taking fishing gear and equipment out of his truck bed and loading it into a trailered vessel as if the vessel was about to launch from the ramp. Officer Lugg then observed the vehicle/trailer suddenly exit the boat launch at a high rate of speed into heavy traffic going northbound on 17th Avenue. Officer Lugg attempted to catch up to the vehicle to conduct a traffic stop on the vehicle/vessel for not displaying a trailer tag. The vehicle maneuvered in different directions in what appeared to be an attempt to avoid being followed. After a brief search, Officer Lugg located the vehicle pulled over. The officer observed the operator standing next to the vessel with a black trash bag and multiple fish lying on the deck of the vessel. Officer Lugg conducted a traffic stop and after speaking with the operator, observed oversized black drum, undersized red snapper, and lane snapper on the deck. All violations were cited accordingly.
While conducting marine fisheries enforcement near Bayou Texar, Officer Lugg conducted an inspection on a shoreline angler and found the individual possessed an undersized flounder and five undersized mangrove snapper in a cooler. All violations were cited accordingly.
Officer Matechik and Lieutenant Corbin were patrolling the Pensacola Pass. Several vessels were stopped for resource inspections. Multiple violations were located including undersized scamp grouper, undersized grey triggerfish, over bag limit of gray triggerfish, undersized Spanish mackerel, reef fish not in whole condition, and no valid fishing licenses. All violations were addressed accordingly.
SANTA ROSA COUNTY
Officers Bower and Valdez were on patrol and observed a commercial angler. A resource inspection was conducted and two undersized black drum were discovered. The subject was sited accordingly for his violations.
Officers Bower and Valdez were on patrol conducting resource inspections. The officers located a subject kayak fishing in the Santa Rosa Sound. After contacting the subject, they located an undersized speckled trout and two safety violations. The subject did not have a personal floating device or whistle on board and was aware of the regulations on speckled trout. The subject was issued citations and a notice to appear for the violations.
Lieutenant Corbin and Officers Bower and Valdez were on patrol conducting resource inspections in Pensacola Bay at night. The officers observed a vessel without navigational white light displayed. A vessel stop was conducted and during the inspection, Officer Valdez located an oversized redfish measuring 34 inches. The operator of the vessel was issued a warning for his navigation light and was issued a notice to appear for the oversized redfish
This report represents some events the FWC handled during the time period; however, it does not include all actions taken by the Division of Law Enforcement. Information provided by FWC.
NorthEscambia.com photo.
Comments
8 Responses to “FWC Law Enforcement Report: Fishing And Boating Violations”
That same redfish could swim to Mississippi (which they do) and it would be legal. Rules are ok if they make sense and example is red snapper, I haven’t caught a grouper on some of my grouper spots in years because there’s so many red snapper now. We get a 2 day season, what if it’s very rough those days it forces people to go out even if it’s unsafe because they’ve been waiting all year to catch a red snapper. Everyone doesn’t have a 40′ boat.
I’ve been fishing for 70 years and the rules today are ridiculous, even FWC can’t interpret them when I call a field office (which I do often) I’ll call 3 offices and get 3 different answers. One example was the turtle excluders required for recreational crabbers and not for commercial crabbers, I called a month before it came into effect and not one person knew a thing about it, not even an officer who called me back. By the way my opinion is the law is ridiculous, I never caught a turtle in 40 years of crabbing in Florida. Do turtles just go into recreational crabbers traps lol. To many regulations, leave the fisherman alone and go after the real criminals.
Some people simply don’t care about rules. Citations should include community service and probation. I feel we need to kick their bad habits harder
I realize the officers have a job to do & to some degree they are in a catch 22. Years ago there were no limits & to 98% of us fishing was a source of food. A good meal for the family that was easy & fun to get. Today it’s not that way. You can still the fish & there are plenty to be caught but the all to smart officials have changed the rules to the point you better not misidentify your catch because FWC is gonna write you a ticket. There are no warnings anymore. With what it costs to fish an the complexity of the rules, which seem to change every year, it just ain’t worth it to me. If you drink a beer while fishing you may as well be a hardened criminal out to commit mass murder. FWC doesn’t play either they use military grade equipment to watch you but that’s for officer safety. I say it’s BS. I’ve known a lot of L.E. personnel & some only were their hallo at work. While others would put their mother in jail. What your required to do to put one crab basket in the water is outrageous. Then there are the poachers, the real criminals who need to be put in jail but their not. Many aren’t even fishrmen, they’re drug runners in disguise.The ones who have no respect for the law whatsoever. So if you dance you pay, dance out of turn & you pay a lot more. If you speak up & voice your opinion you’re a radical resisting arrest by someone who is paid with your tax dollars. Welcome to Florida folks.
It’s not that hard to carry a tape measure. Most folks have plenty of other apps on their phones….fishing guides are free.
Our planet is not an unlimited resource.
I was just walking down to the fish camp launch on hwy 90 at Escambia river and seen 1 oversized redfish and two large mouth bass in a pile by the side of the road , completely intact and wasted. I could had 2 meals off that red fish if it were legal. Thanks outlaws not really
I agree with Adam, I used to enjoy a beer or two also, don’t even have one with you now or they will accouse you of sinking them and give you a breathalizer.
I would not attempt to go fishing now days. We used to go fishing and eat whatever we caught. Now you need a Philadelphia Lawyer to go with you to advise you every time you drop a hook.