FWC Division of Law Enforcement Weekly Report February 19 through February 25, 2016

FWC

Division of Law Enforcement

 

Weekly Report

February 19 through February 25, 2016

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

BAY COUNTY

During the inspection of a commercial snapper boat, Officers T. Basford and Wicker asked what was in an ice chest located on the back deck of the boat. The deckhand said nothing.  An inspection of the cooler revealed a plastic bag containing red snapper filets.  A citation was issued for failure to land red snapper in whole condition and the filets were seized as evidence.

ESCAMBIA COUNTY

Officer Manning checked an individual fishing with a cast net at the 12^th Avenue Bridge which is over Bayou Texar.  Officer Manning spoke to the subject and asked how he was doing and how many mullet he had caught.  The subject replied that he knew he had over 50 and was just trying to make some money.  The subject did not have a commercial fishing license.  The subject was in possession of 315 mullet, while the daily bag limit is 50.  Officer Manning issued a notice to appear citation to the subject for over the bag limit of mullet.  The fish were seized as evidence.

FRANKLIN COUNTY

While working offshore in federal waters in an unmarked patrol vessel, Officers Nelson, Raker and Robb conducted several vessel stops approximately 20 miles offshore.  During one of the stops, the officers explained to the individual that a boating safety and resource inspection would be conducted.  The individual stated, “I’m in trouble, then.” The officers then located five plastic bags containing gag grouper fillets and one plastic bag containing amberjack fillets.  Another vessel with four individuals aboard was stopped and inspected.  The officers located four plastic bags with red snapper fillets and one plastic bag with gag grouper fillets.  The individuals admitted to catching red snapper and gag grouper during closure and filleting the fish.  The appropriate charges were issued for the violations.

While working offshore and south of Franklin County in federal waters in the Patrol VesselGuardian, Lieutenant Marlow, Officers Hughes, Nelson, and Robb stopped several vessels during the patrol.  One vessel stop resulted in two individuals possessing both red snapper and gag grouper during state and federal closure.  The individuals also were using red snapper for bait and had filleted some as well.  Another vessel stop during the patrol revealed two individuals possessing red snapper during closure and an individual attempting to throw red snapper overboard.  The appropriate citations and warnings were levied for the violations.

While working offshore and south of Franklin County in federal waters near the Middle Grounds and The Edges federally protected areas in the Patrol Vessel Guardian, Lieutenant Marlow, Officers Hughes, Nelson, and Robb stopped several commercial vessels during the patrol.  A vessel stop on a commercial vessel approximately 60 miles offshore resulted in the occupants throwing undersized red snapper and marijuana overboard.  The officers also located amberjack fillets in a bait cooler.  The appropriate federal charges were levied.  Another stop on a commercial vessel approximately 52 miles offshore resulted in the officers locating undersized red snapper, filleted red snapper and reef fish being used as bait.  The appropriate federal charges were levied.

OKALOOSA COUNTY

FWC officers responded and assisted in the search and recovery efforts of a plane crash that occurred in Destin.  A private Piper PA-28 Cherokee aircraft crashed in the Gulf of Mexico.  The accident was reported by an individual who was jogging on the beach.  Multiple agencies, including Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Coast Guard, Fire and Rescue, Walton County Sheriff’s Office and Eglin Air Force Base Aviation units also responded to the crash.

Officers Pifer and Molnar were on land patrol on the Eglin Reservation Wildlife Management Area (WMA) during muzzleloader season and heard a shot in close proximity to their location. Both officers located two vehicles in the area from where the shots came.  Officer Molnar made contact with an individual who admitted to shooting at a “tall 8‑point buck.” The individual had inconsistent stories and could not recall where he was hunting.  When the individual opened his vehicle door to retrieve his driver’s license, Officer Molnar noticed an odor of fresh cannabis emitting from the vehicle. Cannabis less than 20 grams, a glass smoking device and rolling papers were located inside the vehicle. The subject was issued criminal citations for possession of cannabis less than 20 grams and possession of drug paraphernalia. Once the subject was released, the officers searched the area but were unable to locate a deer.

Officer Rockwell investigated a complaint of a derelict vessel in Destin. Several months ago, a storm pushed a 27‑foot Ericson Yacht sailboat hard aground at the Noriega Point in the Destin Harbor.  The sailboat has been abandoned for several months, exposing the vessel to the outside elements and vandalism.  Due to the abandonment, the sailboat has become derelict.  Officer Rockwell identified the vessel owner.  The owner admitted knowing the vessel was aground but had no intentions or means to remove the vessel.  Officer Rockwell completed the derelict vessel process and issued the vessel owner notice to appear citations for the derelict vessel and failure to transfer title.

Officer Molnar and Lieutenant Clark were conducting a dockside fisheries inspection on a commercial vessel in Fort Walton Beach.  The commercial vessel is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) individual fishing quota program (IFQ).  Lieutenant Clark located a black trash bag buried under some ice in a fish box.  The operator stated that the bag contained bait fish.  Upon further inspection, the bag contained six red snapper fillets.  NOAA Law Enforcement cited the operator for possession of filleted red snapper.  Officer Molnar issued the operator a misdemeanor citation for failure to transfer the vessel’s title.

SANTA ROSA COUNTY

Officer Hutchinson was working after sunset targeting illegal hunting activity. Approximately 30 minutes after legal shooting hours had ended, he heard a shot from a rifle directly south of his location.  Officer Hutchinson walked towards the location where the shot came from and discovered that the gate at the edge of the field was open. Using his binoculars, he observed a subject at the south end of the field shining a flashlight near a deer feeder.  He made contact with the subject who later admitted to shooting at deer after legal shooting hours in the moonlight.  The subject claimed that he hit the deer when he shot at it but was unable to locate it.  When asked why he shot after legal shooting hours, the subject said that he was trying to kill, before anyone else, a big buck that he saw on a game camera. The subject was issued a notice to appear for attempting to take game after legal shooting hours.  The deer was not recovered.

COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING

FWC officers assisted Eglin Reservation WMA Jackson Guard in the annual Eglin Mobility Impaired Hunt and Eglin Youth Hunt. Fifty hunters participated in the Mobility Impaired Hunt with 38 deer taken along with 27 hogs. Fifty hunters participated in the Eglin Youth Hunt with 43 deer taken, along with 7 hogs.

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