My lesson to deal with illegal catchers

[kblue]

I saw two incidents where people kept under-size snooks at Jupiter Inlet. I am sure they have no snook stamp. I asked one guy if he kept the fish and he said yes. Because he didn't seem to know the regulation, I explained the law . And I urged him not to keep the fish. But at the end, I got yelled with nasty look and he yelled he would release the fish and I never bothered to check myself if he released it or not because I didn't want to deal with it and that poor snook should be dead. Oh well, I learned my lesson. I thought about calling FWC but I decided not to do so because he would know it would've been me.

The other guy rolled the snook with towel and ran into parking lot and I was sure he hid it in his car. And I thought this guy was worse than the stupid guy who yelled at me.

Anyway, I was a little surprised of myself because I just couldn't stand this.

Next time I will call FWC directly.
BTW, is there a good number for FWC ?

Kblue

[tears143]

Check with your local area... as they have local FWC for that area that will response much faster than calling the hotline.

[DigiCowboy]

FWC has been working the Griffin Road canal lately. Saw them twice in the last week at Orange and Palm.

[Poseidon10/31]

My buddy called in a tip on a guy with a short. Fwc came to my buddies work a week or 2 later and handed him a crisp new $100 bill and thanked him for doing the right thing.

[diggin4grouper]

FWC's Wildlife Alert Reward Program: 888-404-FWCC (3922).

Level I Violations - $50.00 Reward

Hunting/Fishing/Trapping without a license
No quota permit or hunting zone assignment violation
Possession of captive wildlife without the required free permit
Environmental Crimes – infraction

Level II Violations - $150.00 Reward

Over bag limit of small game or fish
Taking small game or any saltwater finfish, shellfish, or crustaceans during closed season, by illegal method, or from closed areas during closed season or in closed areas
Feeding or enticement of alligators or crocodiles
No Retail Saltwater Products license
Taking protected wildlife species (i.e. migratory birds)
Possession of captive wildlife without the required fee permit
Environmental Crimes – 2nd degree misdemeanor

Level III Violations - $250.00 Reward

Illegal sale or possession of alligators
Unlawful taking of a quantity of saltwater species or taking with prohibited gear
Unlawful possession, transportation, or sale of commercial quantities of game fish, salt-water species, or fresh water fish
Illegal taking and possession of deer or wild turkey
Falsification of applicant information for possession of captive wildlife
Environmental Crimes – 1st degree misdemeanor

Level IV Violations - $350.00 Reward

Molesting endangered/threatened species
Trap robbing (lobster, stone crab, etc)
Boating under the influence (BUI)
Unlawfully killing, injuring, possessing, or capturing of alligators or other crocodilians or their eggs
Environmental Crimes – felony

Felony Violations (extreme cases) up to $1,000.00 Reward

Commercial trafficking of wildlife (except panfish)
Organized black-market taking and sale of protected species
Taking/killing and endangered/threatened species
Knowingly violating rules and regulations related to The Florida Aquatic Weed Control Act or aquatic plant management
Knowingly performing the unlawful killing, injuring, possessing, or capturing of alligators or other crocodilians or their eggs