FWC charges three for multiple fishing net violations
Three veteran Franklin County fishermen, two of whom have been cited in the past for violating Florida’s so-called net ban, have once again run afoul of the law.
On Aug. 25, in a boat under 20-feet long, captain William D. Sorenson, 82, of Eastpoint, and passengers Johnny D. Johnson, 59, of Carrabelle, and Donnie G. Nichols, 59, of Eastpoint, were arrested by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers for multiple violations pertaining to the possession, use and size of monofilament and gill nets, and the possession of commercial quantities of fish.
The three were harvesting fish with four separate nets over Florida’s legal size of 500 square feet. It is unlawful to take or harvest, or to attempt to take or harvest, any marine life in Florida’s nearshore and inshore waters with any net containing more than 500 square feet of mesh area. The use of gill nets and other entangling nets of any size are prohibited in all Florida waters.
While patrolling on East Bay in Franklin County south of the St. Marks River, at about 4:15 p.m. an FWC officer observed a vessel with three individuals on board with gear consistent with net fishing.
The officer conducted a vessel inspection where he discovered a 2,778 square-foot monofilament net with fish still entangled in the net, and three additional seine nets, measuring 1,246, 1,187 and 549 square feet.
The report said that the men possessed 350 mullet, one red drum, one black drum and one largemouth bass.
A further resource inspection revealed the men were in possession of over the recreational daily bag limit. The possession or use of a monofilament gill net or a net with more than 2,000 square feet of mesh area is a third-degree felony.
Nichols has an extensive history of net ban violations, dating back to 1994, the year Florida voters approved the so-called Net Limitation constitutional amendment. Johnson’s previous net ban violations date back to 2009.
“This officer did an incredible job protecting our valuable resources in Franklin County,” said FWC Capt. Charlie Wood. “Cases like this will keep this area a popular fishing destination for years to come.”
For statute information pertaining to net fishing in Florida, visit FLrules.org and click on “Rule Chapter: 68B-4.”
Wow!!! I commend FWC for doing their job, but it seems to me that “The Coast” isn’t the only thing that’s been FORGOTTEN!!!
As the daughter of a commercial fisherman, who not only fished when he could but mainly made his living by crabbing and working the crab house, cooking crabs, tending the picking room, and shipping the crab meat to various buyers all over the country.
I remember if my Daddy wasn’t crabbing, then he would be up getting his tunnel boat ready to go mullet fishing. He had his nets ready, after mending them in our front yard. I remember after he would come into “The Landing” at Rocklanding in Panacea, that’s where we lived, and He would clean us a mess of those fresh mullet, and mama made us some cheese grits and biscuits!!! Oh, and we cannot forget the homemade cane syrup from Mr. Myron Carter of Medart!!! Those were the days!!!
Anyways, as I was saying before I got so far of track. It seems that ALL of our Coasts have been forgotten, as far as places to make an “honest living” doing some good, hard. Honest work, such as mullet fishing, crabbing, oystering, etc……. THERE ARE SO MANY RULES & REGULATIONS FOR THE COMMERCIAL FISHERMAN, THAT THEY CAN’T AFFORD TO MAKE A LIVING ANYMORE!!! Now it’s all about being a SPORTSMAN’S PARADISE, & FORGET ABOUT THE LITTLE MAN!!!
It upsets me because my Metcalf Family /Grandaddy, Grandma, Daddy, Uncles and Aunts had a huge part. Along with other families in this county (Wakulla) of bringing people into our county introduced them to fishing and the seafood industry, and now it just seems to be all FORGOTTEN, that “The Little Man” started this, NOT as a sport but as a LIVING!!! So, why should people continue to be locked up for trying to make an honest living? Instead of being locked up, and taking their nets away, why not help them resize their nets to the correct size or is that doable??
Just asking…….. just want to make things a little easier for the commercial fisherman, it seems to me that it’s their turn for a change.