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.
NORTHWEST REGION
ESCAMBIA COUNTY
Ten officers and two lieutenants met at the Pensacola office then divided into five groups as part of a special detail targeting boating safety, federal and state fisheries violations. The detail was organized by Officer David Jernigan. The teams of officers positioned at 12 different boat ramps in south Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. During the detail, officers inspected 76 vessels, checked 187 users, issued two boating safety infractions, 14 boating safety written warnings, and six resource written warnings.
OKALOOSA COUNTY
Officer Matt Webb, Reserve Officer Chuck Bonta, and Lt. Mark Hollinhead were on vessel patrol conducting boating safety inspections and fisheries enforcement near the Destin Pass area and observed a 17‑foot vessel returning from the Gulf of Mexico. During the boating safety inspection, Officer Webb determined the boat was returning from a fishing trip and asked the operator what they had caught. The operator stated, “Some trout.” The fisheries inspection revealed two grossly undersized spotted seatrout, measuring 12 and 13 inches. The legal size limit for spotted sea trout is 15 to 20 inches. The operator was cited for possession of undersized spotted seatrout.
Earlier in the day, Officer Webb and Reserve Officer Bonta stopped a 23‑foot vessel returning from fishing in the Gulf of Mexico. The fisheries inspection revealed over the bag limit of red snapper. The vessel operator was cited accordingly.
Officer Matt Webb was on vessel patrol conducting boating safety inspections and fisheries enforcement near the Destin Pass area and observed a 31‑foot vessel returning from the Gulf of Mexico. During the boating safety inspection, Officer Webb determined the boat was returning from a fishing trip and asked the operator what they had caught. The operator stated they caught their limit of red snapper. The fisheries inspection revealed over the bag limit of red snapper. The operator was cited for the violation.
WALTON COUNTY
Lieutenants Mark Hollinhead and Steve Bartlett, Investigator Eddie Gatlin, and Officer Matt Webb responded to a report of a single vessel boating accident involving a personal watercraft (PWC) at the mouth of the Choctawhatchee River. The operator was the only occupant on the PWC and was found deceased nearby. The preliminary investigation failed to reveal any damage to the PWC or trauma to the victim and indicated the subject might have died from natural causes while riding the PWC. Walton County Sheriff's Department deputies assisted with the investigation. The investigation remains active, pending the medical examiner’s report.
WASHINGTON COUNTY
Officers have received numerous complaints recently regarding boating safety and alcohol related issues on Holmes Creek near Cypress Springs. During the last two weekends, Lt. Hampton Yates and Officers Kathy Jackson, Lane Kinney, Warren Walsingham and Larry Morris focused on the area at different times. The officers issued several dozen warnings and citations for boating safety violations and three citations for littering on the creek. Officer Jackson cited an individual who was not wearing a personal flotation device while operating a kayak. His wife and 10‑month old baby were also onboard. After issuing a warning to another subject, Officer Walsingham learned the individual had provided a false name. Officer Walsingham arrested the subject and charged him with resisting an officer by providing a false name and also issued a safety equipment citation.
BAY COUNTY
During the last two weekends, Lt. Hampton Yates and Officers Warren Walsingham, Larry Morris, and Lane Kinney worked Econfina Creek near Highway 20 and Emerald Springs for unruly behavior and boating safety violations. The officers issued a couple dozen warnings for safety equipment violations. They also issued over a dozen citations related to safety equipment, littering, alcohol possession by a person under 21 years of age, possession of alcohol in a prohibited area, and expired vessel registration. During a patrol detail on Econfina Creek Officer Kinney encountered two men trespassing inside a posted and fenced area at Cat Creek. The two were climbing approximately 30 feet up a tree in the center of the closed area to tie a rope and jump from the tree. Citations were issued for being in the closed area.
WALTON COUNTY
Early Sunday morning, two motorists flagged down Lt. Hampton Yates in Ponce de Leon after observing a vehicle being operated carelessly on Highway 81. Lieutenant Yates obtained the information and alerted the Walton County Sheriff’s Office of the approaching vehicle on Highway 90 in Defuniak Springs. Lieutenant Yates stopped the vehicle and a sheriff’s deputy assisted him with conducting sobriety tasks. The operator failed the field sobriety tasks and was arrested and charged with careless driving and driving while impaired.
GULF COUNTY
Officer Arnie McMillion observed a vessel approaching the Gaskin Park area late at night displaying a spotlight and operating without navigational lights. Further inspection of the vessel revealed an electro-fishing device and a large dip net. Both subjects were cited for possession of an electro-fishing device on state waters. The operator was issued a warning for not displaying navigational lights.
Officers Tony Lee, Karl Hellett, Arnie McMillion, and Lt. Raz Castaneda worked a detail in the Mexico Beach canal and vicinity after receiving numerous complaints of season, bag, and size limit violations since red snapper season opened. The officers issued seven citations for no fishing license, one citation for over the daily bag limit of red snapper, two citations for taking gag grouper during the closed season, and ten resource related warnings. One boating citation and ten boating safety warnings were also issued.
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