FWC Law Enforcement Report: Pitcher Plants, Undersized Fish
October 12, 2023
The Florida FWC Division of Law Enforcement reported the following recent activity:
ESCAMBIA COUNTY
Officers Waters and Hahr responded to a complaint from the staff at Tarkiln Bayou State Park after a patron observed a subject picking protected pitcher plants. The patron advised the subject that picking the threatened plants was prohibited, but the subject responded she had permission and continued to pick them. The subject was found at her vehicle with the plants and issued a notice to appear for harvesting a threatened plant from public property without permission.
Officer Waters and Hahr were checking boats returning to the Navy Point boat ramp and located two boats in possession of undersized gray triggerfish. Both subjects responsible were charged with possession of undersized gray triggerfish. Later in the weekend, they located another boat with a four-person limit of gray triggerfish. All four of the fish were undersized, and the owner of the vessel was charged with possession of undersized gray triggerfish.
SANTA ROSA COUNTY
Officers Bower and Phillips were conducting resource inspections and located two subjects fishing from a local pier without valid saltwater fishing licenses. The officers conducted an inspection and located two flounder not in whole condition and additional undersized flounder. The flounder measured 10 inches in length. The legal size for flounder is 14 inches. A resource inspection was conducted on the second subject and two mangrove snapper filets were located at the bottom of the cooler, not in whole condition. Flounder and mangrove snapper are required to be landed in whole condition and possessing such fish not in whole condition in or on state waters or a public or private fishing pier is prohibited. Both subjects were cited appropriately for the violations.
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
7 Responses to “FWC Law Enforcement Report: Pitcher Plants, Undersized Fish”
Lamb’s comments are true. I live near a area being developed that was prime gopher tortoise and indigo snake habitat. The Villages swallowed it up for development. I was informed by the developer that it was financially sound to pay the fine and continue. They also destroyed an eagles nest. Fat pockets and greed!
You’re part of the problem of you don’t vote out the clowns that favor
Commercial over individual with these regulations. Also helps to make search and seizure by Law enforcement extremely difficult, as the founders intended, no matter how difficult it makes their jobs.
This is kind of a joke. All these developments are destroying picture plants and endangered fish species and nobody says a word. As a young man on the Lamb farm in Cottage Hill, which is now a development, wetlands were destroyed that were loaded with pitcher plants and endangered species of minnows. no one spoke up, they just looked the other way. I would catch bugs and drop them in the pitcher plants to watch the plant consume them. I can show anyone today where they were, sounds like double standards to me. These developers need watched as they develop these properties and held accountable for their violations.
You all act like there’s more than 2 officers out at any given time in the county.
I stopped fishing just for this reason. They’ll search and hunt until they find some violation to charge you with. There was a time when fishing was peaceful and enjoyable. Those days are history.
With the laws they have put in place concerning Hunting and fishing it is a wonder anyone hunts or fishes anymore. I know quite a few people who quit hunting and fishing due to their stupid limits. Back when I was growing up you could catch all the snapper you wanted and TRIGGER FISH were deemed to be Trash Fish that the Ole Timers would throw triggers back because they considered to be trash. Not no more and even got a season and limit on those Trash Fish
One thing I’m noticing with these FWC reports (which I find entertaining at least) is that with the sheer number of rules you have to keep track of for fishing you’re practically bound to get some sort of ticket if you get stopped and inspected, even if you are not trying to break the rules.