Wildlife officers patrolling the Florida Keys spot several men snorkeling in the water. As they approach, they see a man standing next to a bucket. The bucket has lobster and stone crabs, both of which are out of season. The officer suspects the men caught more lobster then whats in the orange bucket. The date is August 3rd open season for lobster begins August 6th. The men are harvesting lobster 3 days before the season begins. They have also captured a stone crab, which is closed for harvesting. A local law officer arrived on scene to assist and help translate. The sound cuts out here, but it's clear the officer asks one of the men to open a cooler in his car. The cooler is almost full of lobster. Keep in mind, it's August 3rd; regular lobster season begins on the 6th. So these men are illegally harvesting lobster 3 days before the season begins. The sheriff goes to inspect another vehicle. He finds a cooler and brings it to the wildlife officer; it is full of lobsters. Remember, lobster season is closed, so it's illegal to harvest lobster. The officer finds a small grunt that has been speared, which is illegal. The officers begin counting and measuring each lobster. They document every undersized lobster. In the end, officers confiscated 53 illegally caught lobsters. Charges included harvesting out of season, taking with a spear, and undersized. The officer found one whole stone crab and a claw that were taken out of season, and an illegally speared mangrove snapper. All three men pleaded no contest and served 100 days in jail, plus fines and probation. About FWC_______________________ The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is a Florida state agency responsible for managing and regulating the state's fish and wildlife resources, as well as enforcing related laws. FWC also manages habitats, conducts research, and provides outreach and education. FWC officers have full police powers and statewide jurisdiction to protect Florida's natural resources and ensure public safety. The footage featured is real bodycam coverage of wildlife officers seeking to protect Florida's natural resources. Learn more at https://myfwc.com _______Check___This______Out________ Watch the world's largest collection of Florida programming at: https://www.youtube.com/@discoverfloridachannel
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