Bamasnapper

<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">NOAA Charges <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:smarttags" /><st1:State u2:st="on"><st1lace u2:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Florida</st1lace></st1:State></st1lace></st1:State> Dive Charter Businesses for Fishing Without Federal Permits<?XML:NAMESPACE PREFIX = U1 /><U1:P></U1:P> <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><U1:P></U1:P>
<SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">NOAA has charged two dive business owners in <st1:City u2:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Pensacola</st1:City></st1:City>, <st1:State u2:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">Fla.</st1:State></st1:State>, with illegally operating spearfishing charters without the appropriate permits in federal waters off the <st1:State u2:st="on"><st1lace u2:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Florida</st1lace></st1:State></st1lace></st1:State> panhandle.<U1:P></U1:P>
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NOAA and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission launched an investigation in summer 2007 after NOAA special agents in <st1:City u2:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Niceville</st1:City></st1:City>, <st1:State u2:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">Fla.</st1:State></st1:State>, received several complaints about illegal spearfishing charters running out to the USS Oriskany artificial reef and other popular dive spots off <st1lace u2:st="on"><st1:State u2:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Florida</st1:State></st1lace></st1lace></st1:State>?s northern Gulf coast.<U1:P></U1:P>
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<SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Undercover officers chartered trips on the vessel <SPAN style="FONT-STYLE: italic">Daisy D., owned and operated by Jeffery Michael Folds of Southern Offshore Adventures, and the <SPAN style="FONT-STYLE: italic">Y-Knot, owned and operated by David John Mucci of Blue Water Adventures. Folds was charged with three counts ? operating without a federal charter permit, prohibited use of a powerhead (a device with an explosive charge) to take reef fish, and making a false statement to law enforcement officials. <U1:P></U1:P>
<SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">The proposed fine against Folds is $19,000. Mucci was charged with one count of operating without a federal charter permit and the proposed fine against him is $12,500.<U1:P></U1:P>
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<SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Both men have 30 days from the date they received their notices of violations to request a hearing before an administrative law judge. Mucci received his notice on Nov. 7 and Folds on Nov.19.<U1:P></U1:P>
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<SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">?It is important that spearfishing charter operators understand they need the same permits as any other fishing charter operating in federal waters,? said Allan Coker, NOAA special agent in Niceville. <U1:P></U1:P>
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<SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Anyone with information involving illegal spearfishing charters should contact NOAA?s Fisheries Service Office of Law Enforcement national hotline at 1-800-853-1964. <U1:P></U1:P>
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<SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">NOAA understands and predicts changes in the Earth's environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and conserves and manages our coastal and marine resources. Visit http://www.noaa.gov. <o></o><P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">###:doh:nonono<U1:P></U1:P><o></o>

LITECATCH

i have heard rumors of this. i also heard there are more in the works. that is a crappy christmas present.

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Capt. Scott Byrd
36 Topaz
33 Concorde (for sale)

theangrydolphin

Tin foil hat anyone? Watch out for the black helicopters!

roofordie

:doh

ted-hurst

Yeah that's going to be a bad Christmas, did they lose there equipment. If they did that'll hurt even more.

redfish99999

THAT'S JUSTICE.............

Anything bad for dive boat captains is good for me...... With my encounters with charter dive boats over the years, I cannot remember a pleasant one.......

Clay-Doh

Wow. Granted, they broke the law and are paying the consequences, as happens.

But anything bad for dive captains is good??? WTF? Several of my very good friends are dive boat captains (law abiding), and depend on it to feed there families.

ALso, every time I have been out with them, the encounters with rodnreel guys has been very nice...freeing anchors for them....telling them what kinda fish are down, and where there holding at on the wreck....

If you have had a LOT of encounters with dive boats, and they have ALL been bad...maybe they're not the ones that stink....maybe its you with a poo-poo stain in your drawers that you are alwayssmelling, and you justTHINK it's everybody else that stinks.

And if I sound a lil pissed, it's cuz the ones I am good friends with work hard to pay there bills, and struggle just like the rest of us in this economy, and to hear someone wish them ALL bad even though they prob are not the ones you have ever encountered....just chafes my nut-sac the wrong way.:baby

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specslayer

that daisy d boat is parked in pelican bay motors by wisper bay neighbor hood its a nice lookingcat

redfish99999

Hello Clay,

Destin has several dive boat captains that will come in on top of an anchored fishing boat.... Then, advise you that you should maintain a distance from them.....

As a result of this behavior, I have become biased against dive boat captains.... Not divers, they just want to get wet and look around...... But the dive boat captains seem to think that they own the gulf....

Clay-Doh

I don't personally know any of the ones in destin, but I know there are a group of asses in every group of people, fish captains, dive captains, roffers, plumbers, blacks, whites, short, tall.

Just seemed like you were wishing the whole lot of them bad was why I made the comment I did. I struggle with my bills, and if I saw someone say on here that anything that happens bad to roofing contractors is good for them, would chap me reading it.

And I have heard of what you say happeneing, and it is wrong. The law doesnt state you have to maintain a certain distance, it states you must slow and use extreme caution while approaching the atea. ANd if they are the ones comming next to you.

Although I am not a Captain, I aplogize on behalf of the good dive captains I know for the actions of some knuckleheads that give others a balck eye.

All the ones here I have delt with in Pensacola have always been proffesional, and courtous and helpful when I am in my boat or friends boat and we come to a spot near them.

Wasn't trying to bash you, just wanted you to think about hating a whole group of people (hardworking law abiding ones) for the actions of some is all. :letsdrink

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SO EASY A CAVEMAN CAN DO IT.
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