Comments on: FWC Law Enforcement Report: Fishing And Boating Violations

By: Sam

Sam — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 01:55:24 +0000

That same redfish could swim to Mississippi (which they do) and it would be legal. Rules are ok if they make sense and example is red snapper, I haven’t caught a grouper on some of my grouper spots in years because there’s so many red snapper now. We get a 2 day season, what if it’s very rough those days it forces people to go out even if it’s unsafe because they’ve been waiting all year to catch a red snapper. Everyone doesn’t have a 40′ boat.

By: Sam

Sam — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 01:35:17 +0000

I’ve been fishing for 70 years and the rules today are ridiculous, even FWC can’t interpret them when I call a field office (which I do often) I’ll call 3 offices and get 3 different answers. One example was the turtle excluders required for recreational crabbers and not for commercial crabbers, I called a month before it came into effect and not one person knew a thing about it, not even an officer who called me back. By the way my opinion is the law is ridiculous, I never caught a turtle in 40 years of crabbing in Florida. Do turtles just go into recreational crabbers traps lol. To many regulations, leave the fisherman alone and go after the real criminals.

By: Manuel Sendon

Manuel Sendon — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 16:28:47 +0000

Some people simply don’t care about rules. Citations should include community service and probation. I feel we need to kick their bad habits harder

By: W. Ward

W. Ward — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 14:16:25 +0000

I realize the officers have a job to do & to some degree they are in a catch 22. Years ago there were no limits & to 98% of us fishing was a source of food. A good meal for the family that was easy & fun to get. Today it’s not that way. You can still the fish & there are plenty to be caught but the all to smart officials have changed the rules to the point you better not misidentify your catch because FWC is gonna write you a ticket. There are no warnings anymore. With what it costs to fish an the complexity of the rules, which seem to change every year, it just ain’t worth it to me. If you drink a beer while fishing you may as well be a hardened criminal out to commit mass murder. FWC doesn’t play either they use military grade equipment to watch you but that’s for officer safety. I say it’s BS. I’ve known a lot of L.E. personnel & some only were their hallo at work. While others would put their mother in jail. What your required to do to put one crab basket in the water is outrageous. Then there are the poachers, the real criminals who need to be put in jail but their not. Many aren’t even fishrmen, they’re drug runners in disguise.The ones who have no respect for the law whatsoever. So if you dance you pay, dance out of turn & you pay a lot more. If you speak up & voice your opinion you’re a radical resisting arrest by someone who is paid with your tax dollars. Welcome to Florida folks.

By: Local

Local — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 17:09:06 +0000

It’s not that hard to carry a tape measure. Most folks have plenty of other apps on their phones….fishing guides are free.
Our planet is not an unlimited resource.

By: Keith

Keith — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 16:05:24 +0000

I was just walking down to the fish camp launch on hwy 90 at Escambia river and seen 1 oversized redfish and two large mouth bass in a pile by the side of the road , completely intact and wasted. I could had 2 meals off that red fish if it were legal. Thanks outlaws not really

By: Jim

Jim — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 16:00:39 +0000

I agree with Adam, I used to enjoy a beer or two also, don’t even have one with you now or they will accouse you of sinking them and give you a breathalizer.

By: Adam

Adam — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 13:24:40 +0000

I would not attempt to go fishing now days. We used to go fishing and eat whatever we caught. Now you need a Philadelphia Lawyer to go with you to advise you every time you drop a hook.