Florida Fish and Wildlife Incidents

This report represents some events the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission handled Aug. 26 – Sept. 1; however, it does not include all actions taken by the Division of Law Enforcement.

Santa Rosa County

• Officer Steve Hoomes responded to a boating accident on the Blackwater River in which two vessels collided as they met in a curve on the river. One vessel was operating at a slow speed on the right side of the river, as the other was coming around the bend at a higher rate of speed. While the slower vessel moved right, as required by law, the other vessel attempted to pass and turned left into the oncoming vessel striking it with a glancing blow. Both boats were damaged, but there were no injuries requiring medical attention. The accident remains under investigation and charges are pending.

Walton County

• Officers Don Walker and Espy Letcher were on vessel patrol in Choctawhatchee Bay near Tucker Bayou. At approximately 5:15 a.m., the officers observed a boat with two individuals onboard returning to the boat ramp. During the boating safety equipment inspection, the officers determined the vessel was returning from a fishing trip. The fisheries inspection revealed a total of 26 harvested flounder and two red drum. The bag limit for flounder is ten per person per day. Upon closer inspection, the red drum were illegally harvested by gigging and one was undersized; the minimum size limit is 18 inches. Both individuals were cited for possession of over the bag limit of flounder and for prohibited method of take of red drum. The boat operator was cited for possession of undersized red drum.
• Officer Darrell Johnson conducted surveillance on a subject at Basin Bayou and observed him catching large amounts of mullet with a cast net. Officers Espy Letcher and Don Walker were called to conduct a fishery inspection as the subject started to leave the area. The inspection revealed the subject had 128 mullet over the daily bag limit. The fish were seized and the subject was cited for possession of over the daily bag limit of mullet.