FWC
DIVISION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT
WEEKLY REPORT
September 23 – 29, 2011
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.
Patrol, Protect, Preserve
NORTHWEST REGION
ESCAMBIA COUNTY
Near Pensacola Pass, Officers John Bell and Faris Livesay worked a
joint fisheries and boating safety detail with U.S. Coast Guard (USCG)
Station Pensacola personnel. One inspection involved a dive boat with
four occupants onboard returning from a day
of spear fishing. The USCG conducted a safety inspection of the vessel
while FWC officers conducted a fisheries inspection. When asked if there
were any fish onboard, FWC officers were directed to the front of the
vessel where they observed several legal fish.
When asked if they had any other fish or fish fillets onboard, the
vessel captain answered, “No”. The officers checked a cooler located in
the back of the vessel and found fresh fillets hidden in two large
Ziploc bags. The officers found a weight in each bag
of fillets, so if thrown overboard the bags would sink. The officers
identified the fillets as being red snapper, red grouper, triggerfish,
scamp, and amberjack. In addition, they found whole undersized greater
amberjack and tripletail onboard. The officers
issued 26 misdemeanor citations to the four subjects for the violations.
SANTA ROSA COUNTY
Officer Joe Murphy and Lt. Dan Hahr were checking duck hunters when
they heard several shots fired well after legal shooting hours. While
they were approaching the hunters, another wood duck flew over and the
hunters attempted to shoot it. The two hunters
were cited for taking ducks after legal shooting hours.
Lt. Dan Hahr was on patrol on the Escambia River when he checked a
vessel returning to Smith’s Fish Camp. The operator showed signs of
impairment and performed poorly on field sobriety tasks. The vessel
operator was arrested for BUI and transported to
the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office where he provided a breath sample
of .103 BAC.
OKALOOSA COUNTY
Officers Pete Rockwell, Ryan Nelson, and Ken White were on vessel
patrol conducting federal fisheries enforcement in the Gulf of
Mexico approximately 30 miles southeast of Destin Pass, when they
observed what appeared to be an abandoned vessel that was
adrift. The vessel was a 20‑foot aluminum boat registered commercially
out of Franklin County. FWC Dispatch confirmed the boat was reported
stolen on 9/18/11. The vessel was towed to U.S. Coast Guard Destin
Station and the owner was contacted.
Officers Pete Rockwell, Ryan Nelson, and Ken White were on vessel
patrol returning from the Gulf of Mexico when they received a call from
FWC Dispatch regarding an overdue sailboat. The sailboat was due to
arrive at a local marina on September 22. The
vessel left Bay County on September 22 westbound through the
Intracoastal Waterway. The officers located the sailboat in
Choctawhatchee Bay three miles east of the Mid-Bay Bridge. The officers
made contact with the two occupants and confirmed that they were
okay. The individuals reported that their cell phone batteries had died.
GULF COUNTY
Officer Scott Hoffman conducted a resource inspection at the St.
Joe Boat Ramp on a vessel returning from a trip. The operator advised
Officer Hoffman he and his passenger had been spearfishing. The operator
advised they had a few mullet and two sheepshead
in the cooler. When asked if there were any other fish or saltwater
species onboard, he advised there were not. Further inspection revealed
15 stone crab claws in a Styrofoam cup in the bow of the vessel. A
citation was issued for taking stone crabs during
closed season.
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