FWC Law Enforcement Weekly Report 06/26 - 07/02/2015

(Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.) FWC Division of Law Enforcement   Weekly Report June 26th, 2015 thru July 2nd, 2015 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 SANTA ROSA COUNTY Officer Hutchinson was patrolling the Blackwater River when he observed a small vessel traveling towards him.  As the vessel neared him, it left the river channel and turned into a cove.  He repositioned his patrol vessel so that he could continue observing the vessel and observed the occupants just sitting in the vessel watching him.  He made contact with the occupants and observed that they had been fishing.  They admitted to catching a large sheepshead, but when Officer Hutchinson asked to see it, the subject sitting on the cooler stood up and asked about the size limits for redfish.  Officer Hutchinson told him he first wanted to look inside of the ice chest. The subject opened the ice chest and Officer Hutchinson immediately observed several undersized redfish in it.  After further inspection, he discovered that the three subjects were in possession of seven redfish, five of which were undersized.  They also were in possession of an undersized spotted seatrout.  Two of the subjects admitted to catching and keeping the undersized fish and knowing the size and bag limits for the fish.  Officer Hutchinson seized the illegal fish and charged the subjects with possession of undersized redfish and spotted seatrout and possession of over the daily bag limit of redfish. OKALOOSA COUNTY Lieutenant Clark and Investigator Williams were conducting a federal fisheries inspection at a local wholesale/retail dealer.  The inspection revealed that two commercial bandit rig vessels offloaded and sold gray triggerfish.  Gray triggerfish is closed for commercial harvest during June and July.  A National Marine Fisheries Service Law Enforcement Officer was notified and arrived on scene.  Both operators of the vessels were identified and issued citations for harvest of gray triggerfish during closed season. During the same patrol, Lieutenant Clark conducted a state and federal inspection on a charter vessel returning from a paid fishing trip.  The inspection revealed that the vessel’s charter fishing license had been expired since 2014.  Further, the vessel’s federal reef fish permit expired May 2015. A National Marine Fisheries Service Law Enforcement Officer was notified of the expired federal permits. Lieutenant Hollinhead, Officers Arnette and H. Rockwell assisted Okaloosa Sheriff’s Department, Beach Safety personnel and U. S. Coast Guard (USCG) with a search and rescue on the Blackwater River. A search for eight stranded tubers started at midnight after they were reported being stuck at a large log jam. Due to low water levels in the river, rescue personnel were unable to use vessels to retrieve the subjects. FWC officers searched parts of the river throughout the night by accessing the river through the Blackwater Wildlife Management Area. Later in the morning, a USCG helicopter was requested and responded.  The USCG crew located the subjects and repelled a crew member down to check their condition.  Officers used coordinates provided by USCG to get a patrol vehicle to the subjects to escort them from the river and delivered them to their awaiting family. The tubers were all okay. COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING SANTA ROSA COUNTY Officers Webb and Land spoke to over 70 kids at the Gulf Breeze Community Center. They spoke to the group about boating safety issues, dangerous marine life and first aid.  Officers Webb and Land also brought a patrol vessel and conducted safety demonstrations to the group.

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