roofordie

Man, two sides to every issue

apexmllp

I don't ever post on the forums because people blow things up way out of proportion but I can not sit back on this one anymore. Let me say I know both captains personally. They are not outlaws like it is made out to be. Are they wrong for allowing a guest to bring a speargun out to the Oriskany, yes. but neither one of these guys ran spearfishing charters. the fact is noaa actually tried to book a spearfishing trip on the Daisy D. and not even knowing who they were at the timehe stated he does not do spearfishing charters because of not having a reef permit. Is what they are both guilty of and admit to is when a guest would show up to the boat with a gun if it was a big deal to the guest they would allow them to bring it.this is Oriskany trips, nothing worth shooting there anyway! The trips that both captains are charged with where oriskany trips where the undercover guys where the only ones with spearguns and the others where just divers. Yes it is wrong of them allowing someone to bring a spear gun on board for a oriskany trip but this does not sound like they run spearfishing charters to me. the thing I think is funny as hell are the two guys are not even very good spearfisherman. They came back to the boats with the fish on the end of the shaft and cable all tangled up around them, hell one guy even stuck his knife through his hand and had to get bandaged up by the captain. I don't understand why when there are people actually chartering fishing trips and do not have this permit why these two guys who ran dive boats and allowed someone every now and then to bring a gun onboard was targeted in this investigation.And its very obvious they where targeted. And why the hell are these idiot government agents wasting our tax dollars on two guys that did not run spearfishing charters. Why not go after the boats that are really chartering fishing trips illegally.Just my two cents</DIV>

FelixH

They were probably targeted because of specific complaints made against them... look back at the original post. It says, " NOAA special agents in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:smarttags" /><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.<?XML:NAMESPACE PREFIX = U1 /><U1:P></U1:P> "


The "several complaints" likely named them specifically. I could launch into wild speculation about who might have made complaints against them, and why, but it would be purely speculation and serve no constructive purpose.

Corpsman

"nothing worth shooting there anyway!"

Eh....wrong.

SCUBA Junkie

I guess I have to ask, Is it illegal for a dive boat captain to allow guests to take spearguns on the dive ?, Or is this issue being wrapped up in semantics, calling it a spearfishing charter because guns are allowed on the boat ?

It has always been my understanding that, if you want to shoot fish on during a dive charter, you are doing so under your own fishing license, and are responsible for complying with the rules.

Evensplit

That was a lot of peoples understanding...and unfortunately itproved to bewrong.

A Charter boat must have the licenses / permitsif ANY fishing equipment is on board, including spearguns andpole spears.

The Feds have really tightened the screws after FL FWC and Texas gave them the finger over snapper rules.

The Raven

I have to say that I've had the exact same experience with Destin dive boat captains, numerous times...especially at the "Liberty Ship".