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Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Division of Law Enforcement Weekly Report
Patrol, Protect, Preserve
March 22, 2019 through April 4, 2019
This report represents some events the FWC handled over the past two weeks;
however, it does not include all actions taken by the Division of Law Enforcement.
NORTHWEST REGION
CASES
ESCAMBIA COUNTY
Officer Clark was dispatched to meet with the U.S. Marshall Service and multiple other agencies at a residence in Pensacola while they were conducting a search warrant. Upon arrival, he discovered a juvenile alligator snapping turtle that was in the garage in a glass tank. After interviewing the suspects in custody, they admitted that they had found the turtle in the road one week earlier and put it in the glass tank. The turtle was seized, and both suspects were issued citations for possession of alligator snapping turtle.
BAY COUNTY
Officer Hellett was traveling southbound on Thomas Drive when he noticed a vehicle stopped in the left southbound lane. He pulled up behind the vehicle where it continued to remain stopped in the left lane. At this time, another vehicle pulled up in the right lane beside the stopped vehicle and honked its horn. The vehicle in the left lane started to move. Officer Hellett followed the vehicle to an intersection where the traffic light was red. The vehicle pulled up to the intersection, stopped, then proceeded to turn left violating the red traffic signal. Upon stopping the vehicle and conducting field sobriety tasks, it was determined that the operator was impaired. The operator was cited for operating a motor vehicle with his normal faculties being impaired and was booked into the Bay County Jail.
CALHOUN/JACKSON COUNTIES
Prior to the opening day of turkey season, Jackson and Calhoun County officers located several bait sites for turkeys. Officers Forehand, Baber and Hayes checked some of the sites and located subjects hunting at three of the sites. All subjects were hunting within 20 yards of corn and/or bird seed. All three subjects were cited for hunting turkey over bait.
GADSDEN COUNTY
Officer DuBose was scouting for turkey bait on property in Midway. He walked the property for about 30 minutes and found what appeared to be a fresh bait site with a trail camera pointing at it. Well before sunrise on opening morning, he positioned himself to observe and listen for hunting activity near the bait site. Officer Dubose heard what he thought was someone making a hen sound directly between him and the bait site. Officer Dubose exited his concealed location, identified himself as an FWC officer and told the subject to stand up. The subject stood up and Officer Dubose and the subject walked to the bait site. Officer Dubose asked the subject if the trail camera was his and the subject stated it was. Appropriate citations were issued.
JEFFERSON COUNTY
Officer Mims was conducting resource and boating inspections at a boat ramp when he contacted a subject who had been out fishing in his boat. Upon inspecting his catch, the subject had two legal redfish and a legal pompano. When asked if he had any other fish, he said no. Upon further inspection, Officer Mims found an undersized snook hidden separately from the other fish. The snook measured approximately 22 inches and must be between 28 and 33 inches to be legal to keep. The subject was issued a citation for possession of undersized snook.
LIBERTY COUNTY
Officer DuBose was conducting vessel safety and resource inspections on the Ochlocknee River. Two miles south of the dam, he saw a man fishing from a vessel. Officer DuBose approached the vessel asking the man if he was having any luck. The man stated he had some catfish and a few bream. Officer DuBose asked the how many bream he caught and the man said 20 to 25. The man opened his cooler and Officer DuBose saw what he thought was more than 25 bream. He advised the man that the fish needed to be counted and the man said he would count the fish. Fifty-six bream were counted. Officer DuBose issued the appropriate citations.
OKALOOSA COUNTY
Officers Pifer and Corbin were on vessel patrol when they conducted a saltwater fisheries and license inspection on a charter fishing vessel returning to its slip in the Destin Harbor with customers on board. An inspection of the vessel’s catch revealed three undersized gray triggerfish had been harvested. The captain of the vessel was issued a citation for the violation.
Officer Corbin was on land patrol at Meigs Beach when he saw several subjects fishing from shore. During a resource inspection, two undersize redfish, measuring 10 and 12 inches, were in a bucket. One individual admitted to catching one of the redfish and his son catching the other. The subject also did not have a valid fishing license. A notice to appear citation was issued for possession of undersize redfish and a resource citation was issued for no valid fishing license.
Officers Corbin and Pifer were on patrol in the Destin Pass when they saw three subjects fishing from the channel fender system. They conducted a resource inspection and found several fish in a cooler on the vessel. One of the fish was an oversize red drum measuring 28 ½ inches in total length. One subject admitted to catching the red drum and was issued a notice to appear citation for the violation.
Officer Corbin was on water patrol when he located a vessel anchored in the Destin Harbor that was at risk of becoming derelict due to its deteriorating condition. The vessel had an expired registration and was partially dismantled. The registered owner of the vessel was deceased, and a business card was left on the vessel. The owner of the vessel contacted Officer Corbin and they agreed to meet to discuss the vessel’s condition. Officers Corbin and Pifer met the vessel owner and learned he had purchased the vessel one year ago. He also owned another commercial fishing vessel in the Destin Harbor that he had owned for 10 months. Neither vessel was registered or titled to the subject, and he was issued notice to appear citations for failure to transfer title/registration within 30 days of change of ownership. He was also issued a uniform boating citation for storing a vessel at risk of becoming derelict on state waters.
Officer Corbin was on patrol when he received information of a subject keeping oversized and undersized fish. He saw the subject actively fishing and conducted a resource inspection. During the inspection, two oversized red drum, both measuring 35 inches, were located in a cooler. The subject admitted to catching the fish and did not have a fishing license. A notice to appear citation was issued for possession of oversized red drum and over the bag limit of red drum. A resource citation was also issued for no saltwater fishing license.
WAKULLA COUNTY
Officer Hofheinz was working a targeted enforcement detail addressing opening of spring turkey season, when he saw subjects in a ground blind. On opening day of youth weekend of spring turkey season, he saw two male subjects and a youth subject exit the blind. After investigating, Officer Hofheinz cited one of the subjects for hunting turkey within 100 yards of bait.
Officer Hughes responded to a complaint of illegally harvesting oysters in the Panacea area. Upon arrival, he saw Officer Kossey speaking with an individual who appeared to have been harvesting oysters. After a brief struggle with the subject, Officers Hughes and Kossey placed the individual into custody. Officer Hughes was assisted with his investigation by Officers Kossey and McLeod. After questioning individuals at the scene, Officer Hughes cited the subject for taking or harvesting oysters in a prohibited area, possession of unculled oysters, interference with an FWC officer and possession of less than 20 grams of cannabis.
FEDERAL WATERS
While aboard the offshore patrol vessel “Guardian,” Lieutenant Marlow and Officers Boyd and Nelson boarded a commercial vessel approximately 50 miles south of Franklin County. The officers went aboard and during the resource inspection located 26 undersized vermillion snapper and two undersized lane snapper. The appropriate action was taken for the violations.
While aboard the offshore patrol vessel “Guardian,” Lieutenant Marlow and Officers Boyd and Nelson boarded a commercial vessel just outside the Madison-Swanson Marine Protected Area, approximately 30 miles south of Gulf County. While approaching the vessel, it made evasive maneuvers and the occupants threw amberjack, red grouper and gag grouper overboard to prevent the officers from inspecting the species. The officers recovered the fish, which contained undersized red grouper, and then boarded the vessel. During the boarding, the officers located undersized vermillion snapper, scamp, red grouper and gag grouper. The officers also located reef fish being used as bait and species not landed in whole condition. The appropriate action was taken for the violations.
While aboard the offshore patrol vessel “Guardian,” Lieutenant Marlow and Officers Boyd and Nelson boarded a commercial vessel in The Middle Grounds Marine Protected Area, approximately 82 miles south of Franklin County. While approaching the vessel, officers could see undersized red grouper lying on the back table of the vessel. The officers boarded the vessel and located vermillion snapper and red grouper not landed in whole condition and being used as bait. The vessel was also deficient on most of the required commercial turtle mitigation gear. The appropriate action was taken for the violations.
While aboard the offshore patrol vessel “Guardian,” Lieutenant Marlow and Officers Boyd and Nelson boarded a commercial vessel approximately 75 miles south of Franklin County, just outside The Edges Marine Protected Area. A resource inspection of the vessel revealed unpermitted possession of multiple specimens of prohibited live rock. The appropriate action was taken for the violations.
While aboard the offshore patrol vessel “Guardian,” Lieutenant Marlow and Officers Boyd and Nelson boarded a commercial vessel approximately 30 miles south of Gulf County. While approaching the vessel and communicating with the vessel’s crew not to throw anything overboard, they continued to throw fish overboard. Once aboard, officers located red snapper and amberjack not landed in whole condition. They also located amberjack on hooks being used for bait. The amberjack pieces will be sent to the lab to determine if they are of the greater amberjack species since the season is closed. The vessel was also deficient on the required commercial turtle mitigation gear. Approximately four miles to the west, officers stopped another commercial vessel. The officers located amberjack not landed in whole condition. The amberjack will be sent to the lab to determine if it is greater amberjack since the season is closed. The appropriate action was taken for the violations.
While aboard the offshore patrol vessel “Guardian,” Lieutenant Marlow and Officers Boyd and Nelson boarded a commercial vessel approximately 33 miles south of Gulf County. The officers boarded this same vessel four days earlier, at which time they located 26 undersized vermillion snapper and two undersized lane snapper. During this approach, the officers saw the crew throw cut up fish overboard. Once aboard, the officers located greater amberjack, currently closed for harvest. They also located undersized greater amberjack and gray triggerfish. The officers located amberjack being used as bait and red snapper, greater amberjack and banded rudderfish not landed in whole condition. The appropriate action was taken for the violations.
While aboard the offshore patrol vessel “Guardian,” Lieutenant Marlow and Officers Boyd, Nelson and Travis boarded a commercial longline vessel approximately 75 miles south of Panama City. During the resource inspection, officers located banded rudderfish, yellow edge grouper, golden tilefish, shark, and greater amberjack not landed in whole condition and currently closed for harvest. They located several of these species being used as bait. The vessel also had permitting violations. The appropriate action was taken for the violations.
COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING – EXPANDING PARTICIPATION IN CONSERVATION
JEFFERSON COUNTY
Officer Wilcox taught the laws portion the hunter safety program at the Jefferson County Correctional Institute. There were eight people in attendance.
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