Amelia Island Fishing News

Redfish Violations Result in More Than $4,100 in Fines

October 12, 2005
Contact: Karen Parker, 386-758-0525

A routine boat stop Oct. 1 by a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) law enforcement officer ended with five Jacksonville residents going home with citations totaling $4,100 in fines.

Officer Dave Rosado was on water patrol in the St. Johns River near the Intracoastal Waterway. Sgt. Sam Williams of the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit was on board with Rosado.

At about 3 pm, Rosado and Williams pulled alongside a vessel that was anchored on the south side of the river as five people on board reeled in their lines and prepared to leave the area.

“I asked the boaters if they had caught any fish, and they said that there were a few croakers in the cooler. After I was granted permission to board the vessel, I verified that the fish in the cooler were croakers,” Rosado said.

However, the officer noticed that one of the passengers was standing in the middle of the boat over a compartment hatch.

“The weather conditions were very windy and there was a moderate chop in the river that made the boat move about,” Rosado said. “The other occupants were sitting on the gunwales of the boat. The man on the compartment was having a difficult time standing up. I asked to look into the compartment, and permission was granted.”

In the compartment, which appeared to be some kind of fish hold, according to Rosado, was a 39-inch redfish (red drum). When Rosado asked who had caught the fish, the man who had been standing on the compartment admitted he had. Rosado asked if there were any more fish on board, and the man said there were a “few more” redfish in the bow/cabin area. Rosado opened the bow door and found an additional 19 large red drum.

After loading all of the fish onto the FWC patrol boat, Rosado found that all of the fish ranged from 36 to 39 inches long, which is much larger than the maximum regulated length of 27 inches. The daily recreational bag limit for redfish is one per person per day with a size limit of not less than 18 inches and not more than 27 inches.

After further investigation, officers discovered that four of the five people on board had caught the fish and issued citations.

• Benjamin Curry, 59, was cited for four fish and garnered a fine of $840.

• Janise L. Campbell, 42, had caught three fish and received a $630 fine.

• Andrea G. Chevers, 45, was cited for two fish with a $420 fine.

• Willie B. Thornes, 50, claimed 11 fish and received a citation that totaled $2,210.

The boat owner, Roosevelt Torrence, 61, also earned a citation for allowing redfish aboard his boat that were not in compliance with established bag and size limits.

“This case is generating quite a bit of interest,” Rosado said. “This is ‘stealing’ the resource from folks who fish and obey the rules.”

For more information about the rules and regulations concerning redfish and other marine species, check out MyFWC.com.