Multiple citations were issued against three men on Jewfish Key for the alleged poaching of marine life.
According to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), incident reports, Linh Ha, 51, of 3401 24th St. W., Bradenton, Loc Nguyen, 55, of 3230 44th Drive E., Bradenton, and Hai Nguyen, 51, of Rockford, Ill., were charged by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) officers on July 1 at Jewfish Key, off Longboat Key.
“The three individuals were identified to FWC officers by a vessel passing by stating they were keeping over the bag limit of shellfish,” according to the FWC report. “Upon performing a resource inspection, we found all three suspects to be over the allowable bag limit for marine life species (20 max per person/day) as well as over the bag limit for each species (2 per species/per person per day.) The subjects were in possession of 25 tulip snail, 24 crown conch, 9 fighting conch, 2 lightning whelk and 2 horse conch.”
Each man was charged with violation of the Florida Administrative Code Pertaining to Southwest Florida Shells-Harvest of Live Shellfish in Manatee County; Permitted Harvest of Shells which states: “A person may not harvest in Manatee County more than two live shellfish of any single species per day or possess in or on the Florida waters within Manatee County that are seaward of the mean high water line more than two live shellfish of any single species.”
They were also charged with Violation of Florida Administrative Code Pertaining to Marine Life-Recreational Bag Limit which says: “A person may not harvest in Manatee County more than two live shellfish of any single species per day.”
The FWC report states that at approximately 5:30 p.m. on July 1, officers were patrolling the area of Jewfish Key and received a report of three men taking excessive marine life from the north end of the sandbar.
Hai Nguyen was also found to have no saltwater fishing license and was issued a warning.
According to an FWC press release, officers have received multiple reports since summer began of individuals harvesting marine organisms near Longboat Pass in the Jewfish Key area of Manatee County.
