Boatless Fishing Forum, Reports, Info

Truly a waste. It's definitely not as big of a problem here but I can't say I haven't seen it.

Plenty of sayings to go around.

-If it's big enough to get on the hook, it's big enough to get on the pan.

But what can we do? Do the right thing and watch your back is about it.

that's why there is no fish in dade if they had more FWC checking like the Keys the fish will make a comeback it really sucks

strizile; The problem as I see it is money plain and simple. The state does not want to spend the money to increase FWCs presence. I have sopken to Ron Bergeron who is the commissioner for Fort Lauderdale. He told me exactly that. All we can do is keep calling and reporting violations. He also said to put our complaints, opinions, and suggestions in writing and send them to the commission. Here is the link to the people you want to write to
http://myfwc.com/CONTACT/Contact_commissioners.htm
They can change policy based on the # of letters and emails they get.

Call FWC and provide them with information to help them bust the law breakers.

bolo wrote:Call FWC and provide them with information to help them bust the law breakers.

I call FWC on people about half the time I'm in the Keys. Sometimes they show, sometimes they don't. I have the cell number for an FWC Sergeant, so if there is someone in the area they usually show up. I usually won't get too confrontational with someone about it, especially if it looks like they know that they are breaking the law and I am fishing alone, no fish is worth getting yourself in a potential bad spot. If they appear that they don't know the regs, I will give them a reminder once. Something like "did you know that those snapper have to be 16" to keep. FWC comes out here a lot, and I wouldn't want to see you get arrested for it." Sometimes they listen, more often they pretend to not speak English or tell me to mind my business. Then I go a little farther down the bridge and break out the cell phone.

When they do show, they are good at making it look like they are doing routine patrols on the bridge, even if I called them. They always come and check my cooler too, and I doubt the people that got busted have any idea that I called them in.

Bro putting his picture on here kills him if he goes out there undercover. It would just such to finish him off to any poachers that frequent this site since he seems to want to work.

Everytime I called they showed. In extreme emergency I can call up a Sheriff officer who patrols Long Key area.

I think that the problem of people keeping undersized fish is a multifaceted issue:

1) the FWC does not receive nearly enough funding from the state. The FWC does a good job with what they have to work with.
2) Cultural differences -some people keeping small fish think since that is legal in their home country that its okay here. ( for example, "its okay in Cuba !") WRONG! Maybe a concerted public awarness campaign in spanish would help out slightly to these offenders....
3) Tough economic times mean that some people are keeping everything for food.
4) Then there are people who make an effort to keep under/slot fish and knowingly break the law. Some of these people are just d*ckheads while other might be participating a illegal ring to sell seafood to local stores ( like the huge ring busted this summer in Big Pine Key for Lobsters)


how do we solve such a complex problem? i dont know......because this is a TREND WE GOTTA STOP