FWC Division of Law Enforcement Weekly Highlights For Cases In Brevard County

By  //  June 11, 2017

served a $7,285 notice of violation

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The following report highlights some cases the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission handled in Brevard County over the past week, but does not include all actions taken by the Division of Law Enforcement.

EDITOR’S NOTE: The following report highlights some cases the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission handled in Brevard County over the past week, but does not include all actions taken by the Division of Law Enforcement.

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Officers Miller and Graves stopped a vessel on the Banana River for violating a Manatee Zone.

When the officers approached the operator of the vessel, they noticed that the vessel operator seemed to be under the influence of alcohol. The officers performed field sobriety tasks on the operator and determined that he was too impaired to operate a vessel.

The operator was taken to the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office East Precinct to give a sample of his breath. The operator of the vessel had a blood alcohol level of .152. He was arrested for BUI and taken to the Brevard County Jail.

Officers Miller and Graves were on water patrol on the Banana River.

Officer Miller dropped Officer Graves off under the State Road 520 bridge so he could conduct a resource inspection on some fishermen. One subject was in possession of an undersized redfish and one subject in possession of an undersized trout.

Both subjects denied catching the fish, saying that another fisherman gave them the fish. Officer Graves issued both subjects citations for possession of undersized fish.

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While on airboat patrol, Officer Hadwin saw an individual throwing a cast net from the shoreline and harvesting a largemouth bass.

A resource inspection revealed the individual had harvested four largemouth bass, two bluegill, and several tilapia. The individual was issued a citation for taking game fish by illegal method.

NOAA Office of Law Enforcement, in coordination with FWC’s OPV program, served a $7,285 notice of violation to the vessel captain and owner of a commercial fishing vessel.

This fine stems from a 2016 case the OPV Sea Hawk made in April 2016. During that patrol, which was the day before the opening of the commercial amberjack season, FWC Officers Bohne and Luce boarded and documented more than 1,200 pounds of illegally harvested amberjack.

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The vessel had begun fishing before the legal season opened to beat the competition to the best fishing spots. In addition to protecting the resource, one of the main roles for FWC’s OPV program is to maintain a fair playing field for commercial fisherman.

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