From FWC

This report represents some events the FWC handled June 14 to 20 in the Northwest Region. (No cases were reported for Wakulla County.)

OKALOOSA COUNTY

  • Officer Ates received a call from Eglin Security Forces about an individual trespassing on the Eglin Wildlife Management Area after legal entry hours. Officers determined the subject had been issued numerous trespass warnings previously by military police. The subject was arrested for trespass and booked into the Okaloosa County Jail.

SANTA ROSA COUNTY

  • Officers Wilkenson and Burkhead responded to a complaint of land being developed that possibly contained active gopher tortoise burrows. The officers found areas of the property had been disturbed, several pieces of heavy land clearing equipment, and an active gopher tortoise burrow. The officers located the individuals responsible for the property and its development and found they did not have the proper gopher tortoise permits in place to continue working. The officers successfully stopped the work on the property, documented the incident and referred the subjects to the FWC’s gopher tortoise program.
  • Lt. Berryman and Officer Roberson were on patrol in East Bay conducting resource inspections near the Garcon Point Bridge. They contacted two individuals fishing who said they had fish. Officer Roberson asked who caught the fish, only one individual said it was theirs. Officer Roberson inspected the fish and found four spotted seatrout, which is one over the bag limit. Officer Roberson issued a notice to appear for the violation.
  • Officers Brown and Bower were on patrol when they observed a vessel returning from the Gulf of Mexico with fishing equipment. The officers conducted a resource inspection and located two undersized greater amberjack. Two of the vessel admitted to spearing the undersized amberjack and keeping them. The subjects were cited appropriately.
  • Officer Brown responded to a call about multiple subjects taking oysters. The officers located the subjects matching the description and observed them exit the water with a cooler. Officer Brown conducted a resource inspection and located six whole stone crabs out of season. One of the subjects admitted to catching and keeping all six stone crabs. Upon further inspection, the officer located 11 undersized stone crab claws. The subject was cited appropriately.