Mini-season question...

[KeyLargoBrent]

I'm renting a boat during the mini-season this year and I'm gonna have 5 people on board (3 diving for lobsters)...

is it illegal to buy 5 licenses, but only have 3 divers, and catch the limit for everyone on board?

thanks!

Jack

I'm with ONESPEED on this one. Not only is it illegal... it's just plain wrong!

Yes, lots of people do it (along with the in-and-back-out thing) and get away with it, but that doesn't make it right, legal, or ethical. Consult your conscience on this one!

 

[keyshunter]

Thank you JackSpearo, for pointing up one of the major issues of Florida's Mini-season. These days, it is seldom called Sportsman's or Sport season as it was originally. I wonder why?

 

[Faust]

Even though Mini season is a huge economic boon to the Keys , this kind of "ill take what I want regardless of the rules " attitude is exactly why it is despised by so many residents of FL . Especally posting it on an open form . Realize that many of these forms are watched very closely( by FWC and other agencies ) for these kind of questions / Pics and the posts / pic have wandered into ammo for closing seasons or limiting takes. Think about it .

 

[JackSpearo]

it's not my first mini-season, but it is my first mini-season boating myself. I'm an experienced boater, so no worries on that, but thanks for the advice, I've seen how chaotic it gets down there.

secondly, I don't see what's wrong with one person catching another's limit, if both are present and both have valid licenses. I just don't see how it is unethical. There's a big difference between going out getting your limit, then going back in, dropping them off and redoing the process... and just catching the limit for someone who is present and has a valid license...

Jack

PS if floridians really hate this kind of thing, then why are they the ones sending me PM's telling me how to do it?

 

[Faust]

"but if we have 3 divers, we can dive and bring back only 18 lobsters (in case the FWC is waiting on us)

then deposit the 18 lobsters in the cooler, then do another dive and catch only 12 (therefore everyone has their limit, and they won't know who dived the first time, or the second)..."

Ok,,,, I address the second question first .... Look at how your second post was phrased. It sure sounded that running in and out several times was the intent ?It may not been the intent but ...... In case FWC is waiting ? That statment in and of itself would seem suspect. Again put it in ..perspective the FWC ,some of the fringe groups who want mini season closed /bag limits reduced gear specific rules ect ...have been known to monotor internet post's for statement's just like this and will use this a evidence of what is going on in the water..

As for the residence of FL I am speaking as a former Property owner , who has watched folks pull up with in site of my sea wall and trample whatever was living in the area .. seen morons throw achors in SPA's , and in general have no regard for the rules of the road .... so the folks that are PMing you who tell how to cheat the system, I'll almost bet one ...they dont actually have property here and put up with the crap that is seen year in and year out .... two most of these folks are weekend warriors who only go out for mini-season and dont hunt year round which brings me back to my original statement " becareful out there there are wayyyy too many people out on the water."

 

[JackSpearo]

No, the question was phrased as in, if we came up, it would be illegal for us to have more than 18 lobsters (come up as in, come up to the boat, to the surface, NOT going in and coming back out again) I see how you could interpret it as going back to the shore and then going back out, but if you read it carefully, I mean going up to the boat, not coming back to land... I type how I speak so it's really informal and hard to read sometimes haha...

I always respect wildlife and obey the law(most of the time), every time I go to FL all I hear is complaints on, let's say, foreigners.

But I do respect the ocean, in which ever country it may be. I just don't see this as being unethical. It might be illegal, but I wouldn't say it was morally wrong. haha if that makes sense... I think of it as speeding. We all know it's wrong, but we still do it, it's not unethical, it's just illegal

but i'm not trying to start anything in the forum, so I'm not mad or trying to be a jerk, i was just initially posting to find out if someone actually knew the law...so now I know, so thanks

Jack

 

[Faust]

Understood ... thanks for the clarification ..... And I really did/do want to have a rational discussion about this ... since every year soooo many people come down with no regard for the rules and the stress that several thousand people put on the environment by trying to skirt the rules and take what they can take . and just so I dont come off as some enviro freak , I do spearfish /Hunt/ Lobster but have seen for too long that destruction that comes from the our sport growing and folks not trying to educate themselves as you are trying to do.

 

[JackSpearo]

understood, I personally think that FL should have a lobster tag. so it would deter people further from going out and then going out again. and maybe even catch only the males...

 

[DebbyDiver]

I just don't think it's sporting. I am very proud to be a good lobster hunter, and I celebrate mini-season as though it were a religious holiday, but I would feel terrible catching bugs on a non-diver's license. If all you want to do is have bugs for the grill, skip the boat and airfill expense and just go to the fish market. My impression is that you are all about the bugs and not about the sport.

Darned things are in season for most of the year, for heaven's sakes. Get back in the water August 6 and catch six a day until March 31. There is no need to be greedy and selfish.

I am happy that you clarified that you don't intend to break the law; until you posted that, I was very offended by the tone of the thread.

Please obey the law, be safe, and be a sportsman. Catch your own limit. If someone else wants to catch theirs, they can get in the water and learn how.

My two cents regardless of whether or not I tick anyone off.

 

[trtldvr]

Is it legal? No
Is it ethical? No
Can you get away with it? Most Likely

Untill last year it was a commen practice to take as many kids along as the boat could "safely" (a relative term), because not needing a licenses to grab the extra bugs. But now the law says that each person must get their own lobsters. So the 9 month old baby in the basket next to the beer cooler had better be able to convince the FWC officer that she can free dive (Although she could probably get under some pretty tight coral heads.).

FWC will be available at the Lobster Rodeo and Safe Dive Expo on Sunday 7/27 from 10:00 to 4:00 at mile marker 47.

Safe Dives
trtldvr
Florida Keys Safe Diving Initiative