FWC Division of Law Enforcement Weekly Highlights For Cases In Brevard County
By Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission // March 7, 2017
citations issued by FWC
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – FWC Officer Eller received a call that a local retail fish house was selling undersized fish and conducted a retail inspection which reveled four undersized black drum. Further inspection showed that the fish house was also failing to keep adequate records of their trip tickets, which is a violation. The fish house owners were informed about these violations and cited accordingly.
• While on night vessel patrol in the Indian River near Sebastian Inlet, Officers Eller and Hallsten noticed a vessel without its white navigational light on. Officer Hallsten initiated a stop and, after a safety inspection was performed, the occupants of the vessel expressed that they had been fishing that night. A fisheries inspection revealed four snook, one of which was undersized. The individual who caught the fish was identified and cited accordingly.
• While conducting resource inspections at the Stick Marsh Boat Ramp of the Upper St. Johns WMA, Officer Marroquin saw a vessel returning from a day of fishing. While introducing himself to the occupants, he saw a bag containing clothing move and flop in like a fish. Both occupants stated that no fish were on board. Five largemouth bass were hidden inside a trash bag under clothing and other items. The Stick Marsh/Farm 13 area is a catch and release only area for bass. Citations were issued for the violations.
• While on late-night patrol, Lieutenant Lightsey saw two hunting dogs working down a dark roadway. He waited in concealment until the hunters approached on the right of way. He overheard them saying that the dogs must have bayed a hog. Once the men got closer to the area, Lieutenant Lightsey revealed himself and stopped the men. Three men and five hunting dogs were involved in the hog hunt and admitted to having been on private and public land and roadways looking for wild hogs. Citations were issued for hunting from the right of way and the use of hunting dogs with no collar or owner information.
• Officers Maslo, Kearney, Rutherford, Cybula, Loeffler and Lieutenant Lightsey participated in a Targeted Enforcement at Sebastian Inlet targeting vessel navigation lights. During the night-time detail, numerous vessels were inspected resulting in 27 warnings, two boating citations, resource citations for snook and flounder, and illegal entry/trespass citations.
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