| 30 September 2010
BROWARD COUNTY
Officers Eric Alford and Tyler Harrison responded to two subjects taking undersize snook. Officers found one snook lying on the ground and found two additional undersize snook upon further inspection. Citations were issued to both subjects for harvesting undersize snook.
COLLIER COUNTY
Lieutenant Joshua Caraker and Officer Michael Haney were on water patrol when they discovered a large monofilament gill net that had been purposely hidden in some mangroves. The illegal net was seized and destroyed. Later that afternoon, Lieutenant Caraker and Officer Haney responded to a report of two subjects deploying a stop-net in Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Upon arrival, they discovered the now unattended net had already entangled some snook. The fish were released unharmed and this net was also seized and destroyed.
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY
Officers Jacob Ahlers and Will Freemon were on patrol in Gibsonton area when they observed three individuals utilizing a cast net. A resource inspection revealed the subjects were in possession of four undersize snook, two undersize red drum, two undersize sheepshead, and one undersize mangrove snapper. All three subjects were cited for the violations.
Officer Bill Holcomb observed two individuals cast netting on the Mariner Grass Flats in Tampa Bay. Upon inspection of their catch, Officer Holcomb found an undersize snook and several undersize sheephead. Officer Holcomb charged one of the subjects with possession of snook during closed season, taking snook by illegal method, and possession of an undersize snook. A warning was issued for the undersize sheephead.
LEE COUNTY
Officer Brian Cazalot was on land patrol at New Pass when he observed two individuals cast netting fish. He watched the individuals fish and then load their catch into the trunk of their car and leave the area. Officer Cazalot conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle and asked the men about the fish. At first, the driver denied having any fish. After being told that they were observed fishing, the driver opened the trunk of the car where Officer Cazalot found an undersize and out of season snook. It was later determined that the driver had been arrested four previous times for driving without a valid license along with other criminal violations. The driver was arrested and transported to the Lee County Jail. All together, seven misdemeanors were issued.
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY
A concerned citizen called to report a subject catching undersize snook at the Black Creek Canal. Lieutenant Pomares and Officers Scholl and Padilla responded to the scene. They confronted the subject who at first denied that he had caught any fish. However, subsequent investigation revealed that the subject was in possession of two undersize snook. The subject was arrested and transported to jail.
PALM BEACH COUNTY
Officer Fowler stopped a vehicle leaving Sportsman’s Park in Lantana in reference to a subject cleaning undersize snook. Officer Fowler found the subject to be in possession of three filleted snook. Officer Fowler cited the subject for possession of over the bag limit of snook and retained the fish as evidence.
Officer David Fowler responded to a complaint of an angler taking undersized snook at Boynton Inlet. Officer Fowler located the subject and charged him with taking an undersized snook during the closed season.
