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 assisted Officers Joe Simpson and John Clark, who were deployed to the Pensacola area for the oil spill response. The officers checked a vessel in Pensacola Bay and discovered the two occupants on board in possession of four egg-bearing lobsters. Officer Livesay arrived on scene and issued two notice to appear citations for the violation.
Officer Kenneth Manning assisted a disabled vehicle parked on River Annex Road in Escambia County near Perdido Wildlife Management Area. When Officer Manning approached the driver, he smelled a strong odor of marijuana. The driver admitted possessing less than 20 grams of marijuana. Officer Manning issued a notice to appear citation for the violation.
OKALOOSA COUNTY
A state fisheries and joint enforcement agreement (JEA) detail was conducted by Officers Steve Bartlett, Matt Webb, Andrew Maltais, Espy Letcher, Van Barrow and FWC investigators. The detail targeted enforcement of the federal water closure and state regulations, and resulted in citations issued for two undersize greater amberjack and one undersize king mackerel. Eight resource warnings and five boating safety written warnings were issued. Six vessels were found fishing in the closed area of federal waters.
Officers Matt Webb and Van Barrow responded to a boat fire approximately 1½ miles south of the Destin Pass. Officer Barrow spotted heavy gray smoke from a distance and upon arrival discovered a 55‑foot Hatteras engulfed in flames. The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) was already on scene and had removed the occupants from the boat. The fire was extinguished and the boat was safely towed back to dock where it was lifted and placed on land. Officer Barrow is conducting the investigation in conjunction with the State Fire Marshall.
Officer Matt Webb responded to a boating accident that occurred in Garnier Bayou involving a 23‑foot Nautic Star. The boat had seven occupants on board and was towing a skier. The boat struck a dock causing the dock house to collapse on top of the boat. One of the female passengers was air lifted and transported to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola. The operator and two other passengers were transported to a local hospital in Fort Walton Beach where Officer Ryan Nelson interviewed the vessel operator and occupants. FWC investigators attempted to interview the injured female at Sacred Heart Hospital but were unable to due to her injuries. The female passenger sustained several facial fractures and damaged teeth, but no life threatening injuries. The boating accident is still under investigation.
Officer Matt Webb was on water patrol conducting state fisheries inspections and Deepwater Horizon oil spill patrol. Approximately three miles southwest of the Destin Pass, he observed a boat with individuals fishing. A fisheries inspection revealed two undersize king mackerel. The operator misidentified the fish as Spanish mackerel. Officer Webb issued a citation for possession of undersize king mackerel.
FRANKLIN
On July 30 Officers Joshua Waite and Percy Cook conducted inspections of commercial shellfish harvesters at Cat Point oyster bar. The officers boarded several vessels and conducted size tolerance inspections on the shellfish. Seven misdemeanor citations were issued to harvesters for possession of undersized oysters. Each of the seven undersized cases was between 70-77% undersized.
On the evening of July 30, Officers Steven Cook and Travis Huckeba responded to a complaint of a commercial shellfish vessel that appeared to be loaded with oysters, parked at a dwelling. The officers located the vessel and harvester at his home and conducted an investigation. They found that the harvester had returned to the mainland late in the evening after his seafood dealer had closed. The harvester continued by stating that he intended on selling the oysters the following morning when the dealer reopened. The officers explained the danger and associated health risks of selling shellfish that were not properly cooled. The officers found that the bags of oysters had not been tagged, and the harvester was issued a misdemeanor citation for possession of untagged bags of oysters and the seven bags of oysters were seized and returned to the water.
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