# Could a photo turn into a fine??



## F I LetsGoFishin (Apr 24, 2007)

Was just reading the latest Florida Wildlife magazine the other day and ran into an artical that now states the removeing a protected fish from the water for photo or even just to remove a hook has been deemed a violation and that if they see a photo posted on the net they will send that poster a warning for now.
soon you will see them start issueing fines if they can prove the date of the photo.
Just think what this would mean to those of us who fish from shore. we will now have to identify our fish before we bing him in and if deemed a protected species we will have to wade out to unhook it. 
That would be very interesting with a large preditor.opcorn: 
I also wunder what it will mean for fish with a slot limit?


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## greybeard (Nov 9, 2004)

I was reading the same thing. I have a slightly different take on it. It is mainly to protect the goliath grouper, I believe. I have seen some tv shows where they drag the fish into the boat. I thought at the time I was watching it that it couldn't be good for the fish.


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## jettypark28 (Jun 23, 2006)

*I heard of this*

in other forums, but nobody has stated if it had pass and put in the books yet. What i read was that they would just send out warning and tell you the harm it does....The main group that this would really hurt, would be the fishing guides thru the state of fla....Also all those fishing shows, where you have these "Experts" dropping out of season/endanger fish on decks of their boats, just to take a picture. I am sure there will be loop holes, if they do pass it. And they would never be able to cover all the water in fla to enforce something so crazy anyway.....Just because of a few handful of fisherman that do this. They want to make everyone paid for it....They should start with the fishing shows, since it is there were alot of people learn how to handle a fish, by watching those guys.....It kill me at times, to watch them keep a large "Snook" out of the water...Yelling and hollering....like its the first time they ever caught one.....Then after holding the fish one way, then passing it around....they decide to turn it loose......A$$es....but its us who have to pay, if they did pass something like this....like i said it would be impossible to enforce.....But you never know what the state would rather spend it money in.....Hired a bunch of people to track down, anyone who posts a picture of them holding a fish... on the internet. And go to their homes and arrest or fined them.....What a crazy world we live in, where we worry more about what fisherman are taking pictures of.....instead of real bad guys..........I guess we are the new "Bad Guys".....watch out everybody here comes the "BAD GUYS" holding a fish....RUN!!!!!!!!!opcorn:


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## greybeard (Nov 9, 2004)

Jetty, the article is in the July salt water fishing regulations. It's about the goliath grouper. Based upon what I've seen on the fishing show "The bite" the article has merit. Also they do keep a lot of fish out of the water too long on the other shows. Especially the big redfish. Whether they go after the average fisherman or not remains to be seen. We always seem to pay when the commercial guys get too greedy. I suppose we will be the ones to be persecuted for taking pictures of illegal fish.


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## emanuel (Apr 2, 2002)

It's up to the discretion of the officer(s) giving out the ticket. The grouper thing is probably the main concern although I'm sure they'll go with a couple warnings before handing out fines.


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## AtlantaKing (Jul 7, 2002)

I guess the photo could be considered evidence if they could prove beyond a reasonable doubt that it was taken _after _the bill became law.


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## KodiakZach (Mar 16, 2005)

Anyone else here think it would be nice if the FWC would actually get around to responding when homedude is phoned in for keeping several over-slot, out-of-season snook? How bout they worry bout those idiots who break slot, bag, and season rules before they start trying to ticket legit catch-and-release fisherman who follow the rules and throw the fish back!


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## barty b (Dec 31, 2004)

KodiakZach said:


> Anyone else here think it would be nice if the FWC would actually get around to responding when homedude is phoned in for keeping several over-slot, out-of-season snook? How bout they worry bout those idiots who break slot, bag, and season rules before they start trying to ticket legit catch-and-release fisherman who follow the rules and throw the fish back!


Dont come down on the FWC, I agree with you Zach,but They dont make the rules, they just enforce them, They are terribly underpaid and therefore understaffed, Thier main concern is public safety,I.E. drunken boaters and jetski morons. Priority comes where the most money can be made thrugh fines. I agree, They could score some serious $$ in fines hanging around busting the boatless lawbreakers,but there again they are understaffed. I actually kicked around the idea of becoming an FWC LEO last year,I thought it would be pretty damn cool but the pay really sucks. I feel where your comin from though.


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## jettypark28 (Jun 23, 2006)

*The sad*

thing is they are losing alot of good officers, the older guys that been around and know the game.....The paid they get won't support a growing family. So most have gone into police departments, where they get pay hike for the years they have already put in for the state...it sad to see a person that put over ten years in, and a rookie cop come out making more money....I watch that show the "Bite" cant stand it.....they pull that big old grouper in and then drop the thing inside the boat....and still waited before they threw it in ...Zach i feel what you are saying, but in my area (cape) one phone call and somebody show up pretty quick... Yea they do ride around and at times don't stop, but i have seen them take people off to jail....off the pier for having undersize fish....Like i said it might be the areas....I know that in SI (while back ago) if someone called...they would show up fast.....but again it is changing......and not for the good...opcorn:


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## AL SEARS (Feb 10, 2007)

Could not agree more with the FWC being streched thin, here in Citrus county the Sheriff has waiting list for Road deputies and Marine patrol officers from FWC and other LEO dept as starting pay for sheriff's deputy is quite a bit more a year than FWC pay with few years of service, Sheriff has two boats on water daily it seems to assist in Drunk boating and speeding and such as FWC just cant cover entire coast. They do have some stiff fines for under /over size fish, fine was $228.00 was last one i seen in paper for under size trout , It doesnt bother me one bit to report some one over slot size limits or over limit total. With the recent Tax changes in FL and Budgets every where being cut it isnt going to get any better for a while.


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## emanuel (Apr 2, 2002)

They could make up their budget real quick by writing some tickets. Just a thought.


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## F I LetsGoFishin (Apr 24, 2007)

barty b said:


> Dont come down on the FWC, I agree with you Zach,but They dont make the rules, they just enforce them, They are terribly underpaid and therefore understaffed, Thier main concern is public safety,I.E. drunken boaters and jetski morons. Priority comes where the most money can be made thrugh fines. I agree, They could score some serious $$ in fines hanging around busting the boatless lawbreakers,but there again they are understaffed. I actually kicked around the idea of becoming an FWC LEO last year,I thought it would be pretty damn cool but the pay really sucks. I feel where your comin from though.


 You got it, The LEO's merely act on what the appointed higherarchy dictates. In the Ocala NF. we try and build a relationship with the officers right down to inviteing them to our evening gatherings of family and freinds. This allows us to be more candid with them and they get a better understanding of whats going on in the woods that we have hunted for years. 
In return we get a better feeling for what they deal with in dealing with there supieriors. and we take this ino heavy concieration when it comes time to VOTE for the positions that appoint them.


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## tnturtle (Jan 10, 2007)

I think that hoisting tarpon out of the water with Boga grips was a big factor in initiating this directive.Some people are respectful of the resource and care about doing as little harm as possible to the fish they want to release,but a lot of people don't care .I would not want to see this turn into a situation where we were not allowed to fish during a closed season.


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## Jigmaster (Apr 3, 2006)

*Fish Fines*

Well if this turns out to be the Case. I know two guys that should be contacted first. Florida's own Charlie Christ and FWC Charman Rodney Barretto. They Fished with Capt Rick Murphy Last week On Sportsmans Adventures. Several Fish including a Goliath AKA (Jewfish Grouper) were Misshandled and Photographed.

Talk about Political suicide.



I guess its not as bad as getting Busted picking up a Prostitute.


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## ez2cdave (Oct 13, 2008)

greybeard said:


> It is mainly to protect the goliath grouper, I believe.


Yeah, it was over 5 years ago, but I am THROUGH with "Political Correctness" ( an oxymoron ) . . .

Forget the "Goliath Grouper" monicker . . . It's called the "JEWFISH" ! ! !


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## bigjim5589 (Jul 23, 2005)

This reminds me of the bank robber who dropped his wallet when leaving the bank! 

Seems to me anyone concerned with being cited for doing something that may be considered breaking the law, would have enough sense to first know & understand the regulations & second, not provide evidence you did something illegal. 

I recall a story of a couple yahoo's fishing in the Susquehanna River here in MD, during the closed season for Striped Bass. The area they were in is a spawning area & there is no C&R during that part of the year. Apparently these guys were "bass" fishing, got into some Stripers, which they repeatedly landed & took photo's, and did not pursue the "bass" elsewhere. The regs say what they were doing was illegal, and another angler reported them. The DNR Police showed up, confiscated their camera & used the photo's as evidence against them. Between witnesses & the photo's they had little recourse that they were really bass fishing. 
DUH! 

Stupid is as stupid does!

Any angler will at times hook a fish that is out of season, not of legal size, or otherwise protected, and as nice as it is to have a picture of fish that are caught, why would anyone be dumb enough to provide possible evidence against themselves? 

Think about it! opcorn:


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## bigjim5589 (Jul 23, 2005)

How about the WVA mascot? Shot a bear with the musket provided by the college. Nothing really wrong with what he did, it was a legal hunt. Some folks raised a stink about him using a firearm provided by the college. He was dressed in the full "Mountain Man" attire too. There's pictures online of him posing with his bear. However, now he's been cited for failing to wear the required blaze orange while hunting. DUH! 

I would never condone breaking the law, but if you find that you have, even with no intention to do so, have enough sense to keep your mouth shut about it & don't take photo's that prove you did it in the first place! And if you do take them don't plaster them on the internet!


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## ez2cdave (Oct 13, 2008)

F I LetsGoFishin said:


> Could a photo turn into a fine??


This is "AMERIKA" . . . Of COURSE, it can !!!


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## TnRebel (Oct 23, 2013)

so how will this impact us CPR fishermen ? CPR = Catch , Photograph , Release


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

TnRebel said:


> so how will this impact us CPR fishermen ? CPR = Catch , Photograph , Release


For the most part, if you follow the rules, it won't.

The new regulations (which came out in September) now include tarpon over 40". That rule had the good intention of keeping the tarpon tournament fools from decimating the population, but there are 2 very serious drawbacks to this....

1) where there are tarpon, there are sharks. Boating them to prevent them from being annihilated is a better alternative, IMO. Not fishing those stupid tournaments is better, but whatever. (those big fish are mighty old, and they aren't being replaced everyday)

2) it's almost impossible to "release" a tarpon over 40" in the surf, without risk of serious injury, having not taken it out of the water first. The risk present is to both man and fish.

In either case, if I happen to catch a tarpon of that size, I'm still going to do what I have always done. Difference is, I won't take a picture of myself doing so. Swallow your pride, and remember the fish, don't have yourself a Kodak misdemeanor moment.


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