FWC shuts down crime ring selling priceless Florida artifacts

[beaverdivers]

“This is not the situation of a family out hiking and finding an arrowhead or other artifact that they want to take home,” Brown said. “We did not target the casual collector. These subjects intentionally destroyed lands and rivers for their own personal gain. Some even made their entire living on these illegal sales.”

It sounds like they are going after the professionals.

 

[The Chairman]

It sounds like they are going after the professionals.

That's great, but the law states that if it's over 50 years old and made by a human, you can't collect it. Who decides who is the "casual" collector or not? I am often looking for sharks teeth in Florida's waterways, which is legal. But if I find an artifact then I am breaking the law if I take it. Sometimes, you can't even tell you're breaking the law. I was with a certified fossil hunter (had a license to dig) in Peace River and found a glass bottle. It didn't look 50 years old, but it was more than a hundred. I could not ascertain that until I did research on the Internet after I got home and found that it was made in Georgia in the late 1800s. On top of that, I have no idea if it was discarded over a century ago or the day before I found it. Now, instead of providing facts about where I found it, I hide it: hoping I never get caught with it in my possession. That's a true confession and I hope I don't hear FWC knocking on my door in the morning. Chances are: they won't.

I hope it amounts to them trying to sell these artifacts. I can't ever see doing that. I collect for me and me alone. Well, I've given several thousand sharks teeth away to Boy Scouts as well as others, but I have never sold one. Either way, I would love to see the laws amended to make sense.

 

[iluvtheocean]

the fossil hunting permit is only $5 btw. An individual is more likely to get arrested for releasing a mylar balloon into the air (someone was over Valentines day - 3rd deg felony for environmental)

and somethings like a glass bottle? trash that needs to be picked up. kept it cause it looked cool.

just because it's illegal on the books -- does not mean they will prosecute the average person. we're still trying to get rid of some of florida's old blue laws that really should have been removed from the books decades ago.

 

[ben_wilson3301]

What happened to leaving things alone so future generations might enjoy them?

 

[Sundancer73]

This whole episode has left me speechless... I really miss Isolated Finds Program.

 

[bilsant]

For five bucks you get a permit. If you find something you send a letter describing what and where you found it...and the state gets back to you if they want to see it. Nobody is going to want your average shark tooth, or even meg tooth you dug out of the Peace River on a cub scout camping trip, but they know you found it...and nobody is going to arrest you for it.

Judging from the damage, these idiots as much as took a BULLDOZER to state lands to dig up or dredge archeological artifacts from a streambed to sell for over $100K...yet I'm hearing reservations from people who are upset if a diver touches coral. They were an organized ring of 13 individuals who did this as their business...knowing the prosecutor's office up there, I'm mildly surprised that nobody filed RICO or Organized Scheme to Defraud.

No sympathies here....and on a board where I see more negative that positive posts about FWC, allow me to offer kudos!

 

[letterboy]

What happened to leaving things alone so future generations might enjoy them?

same thing that happened to opening a door for old ladies.

 

[Jared0425]

In my experience, just because the state claims ownership, does not mean they own. As said above these idiots pretty much bulldozed the land to draw state attention.

 

[iluvtheocean]

sounds like one of those reality tv shows where they destroy the land to make a profit off the artifacts.. sadly there is one where they do this. if they were underwater i don't doubt they would have trashed the reefs as well.

 

[TravisS.]

So let me get the gist of this...

If I am diving looking at pretty wet rocks and see an arrow head, underwater in this case and seemingly relevant to the discussion, I am a criminal if I take said arrowhead now? If so, ok I get it.

But if I have a collection I retrieved from the same location pre law I am still a criminal?

Seems like that is not an enforceable law.

That's like saying 8cylinders engines are outlawed and anyone who owns one is a criminal.

Sent from my MB855 using Tapatalk 2

"Congress shall pass no ex post facto law". Not sure if this is incorporated to states.