Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission announced the arrests of three Broward County men who reportedly harvested a large number of lobsters outside the two-day mini-season.
On Aug. 3, FWC officer Jerry Begera and Monroe County Sheriff’s deputy Jason Farr were conducting resource inspections at Indian Key Fill in Islamorada where they saw a man carrying a bucket containing spiny lobster. They approached the man and his group to inspect what they caught. With the group’s consent, officers searched their vehicles and found two coolers containing 53 spiny lobsters, two speared spiny lobsters, one whole stone crab, a stone crab claw, and a speared, undersized mangrove snapper.
Alfredo Gregorio Gregorio, Ovidio Sales Gregorio and Marcos Hernandez Gregorio, all of Davie, were transported to jail. They were each charged with 37 misdemeanors related to multiple spiny lobster and stone crab violations.
“Our officers work closely with our local law enforcement partners in Monroe County to protect our natural resources,” said Monroe County area Captain Adam Garrison of FWC. “These regulations are in place to ensure those resources are available for many years to come.”
Spiny lobster sport season closed at 11:59 p.m. on July 31. The regular spiny lobster season began Wednesday, Aug 6. Stone crab season does not open until Oct. 15. Additionally, it is illegal to harvest lobster using a speargun and to spearfish in the Upper Keys.
Gregorio Gregorio, Sales Gregorio, and Hernandez Gregorio were arrested and transported to a local jail.
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