This report represents some events the Florida Fish and
Wildlife Conservation Commission handled over the past week in
the Northwest Region.
ESCAMBIA COUNTY
On April 24, Officer Pat Roush received information that four
individuals on a vessel were stealing crabs from commercial crab
traps near the Three Mile Bridge. Officer Roush
immediately proceeded to the area to observe the violation.
Using binoculars, Officer Roush was able to observe three of the
four occupants in the vessel taking part in stealing the crabs.
Lt. Wayne Williams arrived to assist. After stealing the
crabs, the individuals traveled to the 17th Avenue Boat Ramp.
Officer Roush and Lt. Williams approached the individuals at the
ramp. Three of the individuals admitted to stealing crabs.
On the vessel, Lt. Williams discovered 37 blue crabs, three of
which were egg bearing, and two stone crabs. The three
individuals were arrested and transported to the Escambia County
Jail for the violations.
On April 25, Officers Keith Clark and Andy Maltais were on
water patrol conducting fisheries and safety inspections in the
Pensacola Pass. Officers Clark and Maltais observed a dive
boat returning from the gulf. They stopped the vessel to
perform a safety inspection. After the safety inspection,
Officer Clark boarded the vessel for a fisheries inspection.
In a cooler, Officer Clark observed a bag limit of red snapper,
a gag grouper and some triggerfish. All were speared.
Officer Clark then decided to dig through the fish in the
cooler. At the bottom of the cooler, he discovered several
fillets from cleaned fish. The fillets were determined to
be from a red snapper, gray snapper and scamp. The captain
was issued a citation for the violations.
On April 26, Lt. Brian Lambert checked a vessel as it
returned to the Navy Point Boat Ramp. As Lt. Lambert
approached the vessel, one of the two occupants immediately said
that he had some redfish, but he was just bringing them back to
shore to measure them. Lt. Lambert observed the catch and
found three undersized red drum. Two of the three fish
were dead. The one occupant admitted to catching all of
the red drum. Citations were issued for the violations.
The operator of the vessel was also issued a citation for not
having any life jackets on board.
SANTA ROSA COUNTY
Officer Andy Maltais concluded a derelict vessel
investigation this week. After receiving a warning, an
individual removed his 17foot vessel from Trout Bayou.
The vessel had been in a derelict condition since Hurricane
Ivan.
OKALOOSA COUNTY
On April 25, Lt. Mark Hollinhead and Officers David Brady and
Espy Letcher observed a vessel towing a skier in the no
wake/idle speed zone in Destin Pass. When the vessel was
stopped, the operator displayed signs of impairment. Field
sobriety exercises confirmed the operator was impaired.
The operator was transported to the Destin Coast Guard Station
where he provided a breath sample of .088. He was
transported to the Okaloosa County Jail and charged with
operating a vessel while intoxicated.
WALTON COUNTY
On April 28, Lt. Mark Hollinhead attended court in Walton
County for the sentencing of a subject who shot a deer at night
while Lt. Hollinhead and Officer Danny Arnette were working
night hunting in the northern part of the county. The subject
was sentenced and fined $850, one year probation, three years
suspension of hunting privileges and the firearm was forfeited.
On April 29, Officer Matt Webb investigated a boating
accident that occurred on Black Creek. The accident
occurred when the operator of a personal watercraft lost control
of the vessel and was ejected. He sustained a rib injury
which was treated at a local hospital in Walton County.
Charges are pending.
FRANKLIN COUNTY
On April 20, Officer Charlie Wood observed three individuals
digging in the waters of the state near Turkey Point.
Officer Wood set up a surveillance position in the woods
adjacent to the individuals and watched as they probed and dug
along the shoreline. Officer Wood then approached the
individuals and asked what they were collecting from the water.
Rocks and shark's teeth were the answers that were given to the
officer but a search revealed that one of the subjects was in
possession of 43 shards of Indian pottery. Another subject
was found to be in possession of less than 20 grams of cannabis.
Both individuals were issued citations with possible felony
charges pending on the subject with the Indian pottery.
On April 25, Lt. Rama Shuster, Investigator Charlie Chafin
and Officer Faris Livesay were on patrol on the offshore patrol
vessel "Sea Hawk." At 11 p.m., the commercial fishing
vessel "Hammerhead" was boarded approximately 45 miles southwest
of Carrabelle. A fisheries inspection revealed possession
of undersized red grouper, vermillion snapper and gag grouper,
and red snapper not in whole condition. The fish were
seized and a federal citation was issued.