| 04 November 2010
BROWARD COUNTY
Officer Darral Thomason checked two people fishing off the New River by State Road 84. One subject possessed three undersize snook and over the bag limit of snook. The other subject possessed one undersize snook. Officer Thomason issued citations to both people for the violations.
CHARLOTTE COUNTY
Lieutenant Mike Frantz received information regarding a construction worker who was fishing while on break and keeping snook he had caught. When Lieutenant Frantz confronted the worker about the information, the individual admitted that he knew the season for taking snook was closed. The subject was issued a citation for taking snook during the closed season.
COLLIER COUNTY
Officer Thomas Van Trees responded to a snook complaint in Doctor’s Pass resulting in four charges filed with the State Attorney’s Office for possession of snook out of season and undersize snook. During the officer’s investigation, he located several snook concealed in nearby rocks.
Officers Michael Haney and Thomas VanTrees conducted a multi-night surveillance of an area on Marco Island that is notoriously known to have subjects committing snook related violations. During one such night, the officers observed three subjects leaving the area carrying fishing rods and a five-gallon bucket. Officer Haney identified himself and instructed the subject who was holding the bucket not to dispose of its contents. However, the subject disregarded the command and dumped the contents into the water. He later admitted that there had been a snook in the bucket. That subject was issued a citation for possession of snook during closed season and interference with the duties of an officer. All three subjects were given warnings for trespassing.
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY
Officer Damon Saunders and Duty Officer Christina Jones were checking fishermen on the north side of Sebastian Inlet. They watched a man place an oversized snook, wrapped in a garbage bag, in a van he was standing beside. After watching the van for about two hours, three subjects returned to the van carrying a cooler and a pair of rain pants. Officer Saunders and Duty Officer Jones approached the group to check the cooler and ask about the snook from earlier. In addition to the snook, Officer Saunders found an undersized redfish in the cooler and a small green sea turtle that was concealed in the rain pants. One of the adult subjects was charged with the oversized snook and undersized redfish, another was arrested and charged with attempted taking of a green sea turtle.
LEE COUNTY
Officers Brian Cazalot and Justin Koble observed three individuals leaving D&D Marina in Matlacha. They approached the individuals and conducted a fisheries inspection. The officers located an undersize snook which was also out of season, and issued two misdemeanor citations.
Officer Gregory Bryson was on foot patrol near the Big Carlos Pass Bridge when he observed several people fishing near the center of the bridge. Officer Bryson waited for the cover of darkness and as he began to slowly approach the individuals. He observed another subject emerge from the bridge fender system carrying a stringer with two snook attached. The subject made an immediate attempt to leave the bridge when Officer Bryson confronted him. The individual was charged with several misdemeanors including possession of over the bag limit of snook, taking snook out of season, and possession of undersized snook. The fish were kept alive and returned to the water.
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY
Officers Bryan Loureiro and Antonio Dominguez responded to a complaint of a subject spearing snook at the Newport Pier. By the time the FWC officers arrived, a Sunny Isles police officer had already located the subject and was detaining him. The subject was in possession of four undersize, speared snook that he had placed in a bag in attempt to hide in the bushes. The subject was arrested and transported to jail for the violations.
