FWC DIVISION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT WEEKLY REPORT April 27 – May 3, 2012

FWC DIVISION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT

WEEKLY REPORT

April 27 – May 3, 2012

 

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

 

Officer Faris Livesay was on vessel patrol on Pensacola Bay when he checked two individuals fishing near Fort Pickens. Officer Livesay found the men in possession of eight undersized red snapper. The vessel operator was cited for possession of red snapper in closed season. Officer Livesay educated the individuals on the season dates, bag limit and the legal size limit for red snapper.

 

LIBERTY COUNTY

 

While on duty at 11 p.m., Officer Hank Forehand was traveling down Highway 20 when he observed a subject walking in the direction of Hosford. He stopped and talked with the subject who acted suspiciously. After several attempts, the officer obtained the subject’s correct name and determined he was wanted for escaping from the Department of Correction’s Work Camp in Leon County. Officer Forehand arrested the subject and the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office transported him to jail.

 

SANTA ROSA COUNTY

 

After sunset, Officers David Jernigan and Joe Murphy were on water patrol on the Escambia River near the Highway 90 Bridge. They observed a vessel with two subjects

onboard, operating without navigation lights. Both subjects admitted they had been fishing and had several fish in the cooler. One subject reached into the cooler, grabbed a spotted sea trout, laid it on top of the cooler, and measured it. The spotted trout was a legal length of 15 inches. The subject raised the cooler lid, dropped the trout back into the cooler, and shut the lid. The subject was asked to re-open the cooler and Officer Jernigan reached into the cooler and removed a pompano from the bottom. One of the subjects stated he had caught the fish from the pier a few days ago and forgot the fish was in the cooler. The fish did not appear to be a few days old. The pompano measured 10½ inches to the fork in length. The subject was cited for possession of undersized pompano.

 

Officer David Jernigan was on water patrol on the Blackwater River when he observed a small Gheenoe vessel that appeared to be overloaded with two adult males and two juvenile males onboard. A boating safety inspection confirmed the vessel was overloaded, short two life jackets, and without a sound-producing device. A fisheries inspection revealed five black drum ranging from 10 to 10½ inches. The vessel operator admitted to catching the fish and was cited for possession of undersized black drum and several boating safety warnings.

 

OKALOOSA COUNTY

 

Officers Pete Rockwell, Andy Maltais, and James Rockwell conducted an operational Joint Enforcement Agreement (JEA) offshore detail on the Gulf of Mexico. During the patrol of state and federal waters, they observed a 16‑foot vessel underway in federal waters with three individuals onboard. During the fisheries inspection, Officer Rockwell located a fish cooler on the deck of the boat. Upon inspection, he observed three greater amberjack and a plastic bag that contained four greater amberjack fillets. The vessel operator was cited for possession of over the bag limit of greater amberjack and failure to land greater amberjack in whole condition. The legal bag limit in state and federal waters is one per person per day.

 

-30-

http://www.oysterradio.com e-mail manager@oysterradio.com with comments