FWC
Division of Law Enforcement
Weekly Report
May 2, 2014 - May 8, 2014
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
ESCAMBIA COUNTY
Officer Cushing and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Officer Demesillo were conducting federal fisheries enforcement in the Gulf of Mexico. While approaching a vessel, they observed a red snapper being thrown overboard. Once alongside the vessel, the operator of the vessel was asked if he had any fish on board. He admitted to having “fish I am not supposed to have.” The subject was issued a federal notice of violation for being in possession of red snapper during the closed season.
On a two-day event, the crew of the Fin Cat conducted offshore patrols targeting both state and federal fishery violations. During these two days, 19 vessels were inspected and approximately 80 users checked by NOAA and FWC officers. Several violations were documented and/or citations issued for possession of gray triggerfish during closed season, over the bag limit of gray triggerfish and vermillion snapper, using reef fish as bait and running a charter without a charter permit.
Officers Manning and Hoomes observed a known commercial fisherman bring a cobia he recently caught to a local restaurant. An inspection of the restaurant revealed the cobia, 46 black drum fillets, 20 pompano fillets, 2 king mackerel fillets, 15 whole pompano and two whole white trout. The owner of the restaurant could not provide documentation of where he got the fish and claimed they were given to him. The fish were seized and a notice to appear citation was issued to the restaurant owner for not having a wholesale license. The commercial fisherman admitted he received money for selling the fish and was issued a notice to appear citation for selling to an unlicensed wholesaler.
While patrolling the Escambia River, Officer Pettey checked two individuals fishing from a vessel. A fisheries inspection revealed they were in possession of 115 bream. The daily bag limit for bream is 50 per person. Notice to appear citations were issued to the individuals for the violations.
While patrolling the Perdido River Wildlife Management Area (WMA), Lieutenant Lambert observed a group of people swimming at a nearby landing. As he approached the group, he noticed one individual quickly attempt to conceal an item near their coolers. While talking to the group, Lieutenant Lambert noticed a small bag of marijuana laying in the bushes just a couple of feet away from the group’s coolers. After interviews, an additional small amount of marijuana was found on two subjects. Notice to appear citations were issued for possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. Additionally, one of the subjects had a warrant for their arrest for custodial kidnapping. Lieutenant Lambert transported that subject to the Santa Rosa County Jail for processing.
FRANKLIN COUNTY
Officer Allen was patrolling Apalachicola Bay near St. George Island when he observed two individuals working what appeared to be a net from the shore line. Officer Allen positioned his vessel to where he could conduct surveillance on the two subjects. During his surveillance, he observed the individuals working the net and taking fish from it. Officer Allen conducted a resource inspection. During the inspection, he determined the individuals were fishing a monofilament gill net and were in possession of undersized red drum. The net and fish were seized and citations were issued to the two fishermen.
GADSDEN COUNTY
Officers Jones, Brower, and Forehand were working information on a local waterway regarding individuals catching over the bag limit of crappie. After several days of surveillance, the officers stopped an individual they suspected of being in possession of over the bag limit of crappie. During their inspection, they found 42 whole crappie and 100 fillets. The individual was issued a citation for over the bag limit of crappie and the fish were seized.
JACKSON COUNTY
Officer Forehand was working at the Jim Woodruff Dam when he observed an individual throwing a bait net around the lock wall. The subject walked by Officer Forehand after he threw the net and said there were a lot of bream along that wall. Officer Forehand observed several bream in the net as he walked by. The subject emptied the net in a cooler and then continued to fish. Officer Forehand made contact with the subject and found 13 bream were taken with his net. The subject was cited with taking game fish by illegal method.
LEON COUNTY
While on patrol, Officer Louque observed a subject loading his vessel at a boat ramp on Lake Talquin. Officer Louque conducted a boating safety and resource inspection and found the subject to be in possession of 32 crappie. The daily bag limit is 25 per person per day. The subject was cited for over the daily bag limit of crappie.
Officer Jones was working on a local waterway when he observed an individual cast netting. Officer Jones set up and conducted surveillance on the subject for a period of time. He was able to determine the subject was keeping game fish (bream) that he was catching in the cast net. Officer Jones stopped the individual and found him in possession of several bream. The fish were returned to the water alive and the individual received citations for taking freshwater fish by illegal method and a warning for not having a freshwater fishing license.
OKALOOSA COUNTY
Lieutenant Hollinhead, Investigator Armstrong and Officer Jarvis responded to a boating accident near Brooks Bridge in Ft. Walton Beach. Two vessels collided causing one of them to capsize leaving three occupants stranded in the water. The officers later determined that the occupants swam to shore. One occupant was treated for a minor injury at a local hospital and released. The submerged vessel was examined the following day by the FWC Dive Team prior to removing it to confirm direction of travel at the time of the collision.
Officer Molnar received information that a male with an active arrest warrant was living on a sailboat located in the Santa Rosa Sound. Upon making contact, the male was not on board but a female was. Officer Molnar boarded the vessel to inspect the marine sanitation device. While on board, Officer Molnar asked the subject if there was anything illegal aboard the boat. The subject stated, “No.” After verbal consent was granted to search the contents of the vessel, Officer Molnar located a baggie of cannabis and two glass smoking pipes with residue inside them. She was arrested and booked into the Okaloosa County Jail on possession of cannabis less than 20 grams and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Officer Molnar and Investigator Armstrong investigated two people aboard a possible derelict vessel in the Santa Rosa Sound. Officer Molnar attempted to identify one of the subjects, who stated she did not have any type of identification. Throughout the investigation, the female subject gave multiple names and was acting nervous. Officer Molnar placed her under arrest for providing a false name to an officer while being lawfully detained. Once under arrest, she stated that her birth certificate was in her purse. Once retrieved, her true identify was discovered. The subject stated she thought she had a parole violation warrant out of Louisiana. The subject was booked into the Okaloosa County Jail.
WASHINGTON COUNTY
Officer Jackson received information on a large amount of household trash that had been dumped on a wooded area in the Sunny Hills Community. She located the dumpsite and, after a search, located items that identified a suspect. During an interview with the suspect, a full confession was received. Officer Jackson filed the littering case with the State Attorney's Office.
Officer Kinney, Investigators Brown and Shores, and Lieutenants Bartlett and Walsingham worked together and made a case of taking over the daily bag limit of bream. Two Chipley men were observed at a store showing off their catch. A resource check and short interview revealed that the two men had just caught the 191 bream. Both were cited and the fish were seized as evidence.
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