Marine Patrol!!

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Scuba_Jenny

dirty-finned dive goddess
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Hey ya'll

Heads up on your Lobster License!

I was at Commerical Blvd (Datura St) when the Marine Patrol showed up on land. The officer was asking some general questions before asking to see lobster licenses. I showed him my current license which was tucked safely away in my car. He wrote me and one other a warning. Said we had to have the license with us while diving.

He went on to explain that you have to carry the license with you on a beach dive. Put it in plastic or laminate it and attach it to your dive flag. Or put it in one of those waterproof bottles and attach it to your dive flag, or carry it with you. Some of the licenses are waterproof if you bought it at Bass Pro Shops (I think) or got a 5 year license. If I recall the converstion correctly, if you order online you can also get a waterproof one.

Mr. Officer went on to say that they write a lot of tickets ($65) for this infraction and includes a trip to the courthouse to prove you are licensed.
 
Yup. Gotta have that with you whenever you're out lobstering. I take you had your tickle stick and bag with you?

Do you remember Scott sharing his story where they pulled him up by his flag to get his? He didn't have it and got a ticket as well.

Marc
 
I had the same thing happen to me. I now have one of those waterproof plastic boxes (Otter) that I carry in an "Innovative DryPack-(water resistant). I laminated my SW license and also carry drivers license, health insurance card and DAN card-ya never know.

West Marine carries a box but the metal pin is not stainless, after awhile it rusts and swells and you end up breaking the plastic hinge. I went through two of them. I rinsed and spray lubed the second one but it still rusted up.

I've had the grouper troopers come up to me plain clothes after I was just sightseeing.

Hey, how's the vis?
Anything out there?
Do you ever catch anything out there?
What do you do out there?
Thanks, sounds like fun.

Then the guy goes down two cars to some guys that were out lobstering.

How's it going?
See anything out there?
What do you guys do out there?
Bingo, can I see your license?

These guys are the umpires in the game of diver vs lobster
 
Jenny,

I'm sure I told you the story of my troubles with the marine patrol that day we did our Wednesday morning humpday dive with Mike and Marvel. Don't you remember the part about me getting busted for the very same thing? Only differance is I was in the water and the Officer wasn't so nice, he wrote me a ticket. Hence the reason I had the little plastic canister on my dive flag that morning.

Scott
 
I had a net and tickle stick with me.

I am a bit surpirised that after all these years of diving and going for lobster, that this is the first time I have heard that you have to have your license with you, like on the flag! No more leaving it in the car!

Scott- I don't remember hearing your story.
 
these non-waterproof licenses. If they want them on you while diving, they should make it dive proof. Hanging your license on your flag, where a passing boater or jet-skier can nip it just does NOT sound reasonable. I wonder what they would do with a really wet one?

BTW, last year we did a night snorkle off of Deerfield Beach. Texas Mike and I were approached by a WL officer and given the "hey how are you" approach. But before he left, he took a peek inside the footpockects of our fins... "just to be sure". We did not have either net or tickle stick.
 
Well, at least they only gave you a warning.

The day I was stopped the Officer also told me that if you have undersized lobster and any one of them happens to be dead that they can take your car, your boat (if you're in one), your dive gear and anything else you happen to have with you at the time and they they can fine you for not having your measuring stick with you as well. The fines can add up if you're not careful.

Sense Marc remembers my story it had to be that day at the Jacks when we all went. I usually get a big laugh from everyone on that one because the guy actually pulled me up from the bottom with my dive flag. My first thought was "Who's this jerk in a boat next to my flag?". Then I thought my buddy got us a ride back to shore so we wouldn't have to swim all the way back in from the second reef. Only when I surfaced did I see the big words "MARINE PATROL" on the side of his boat and realized who it was. As a side note, he did give us a ride back to shore.

Scott
 
because the guy actually pulled me up from the bottom with my dive flag.
I would be filing charges of reckless endangerment or attempted murder if ANY clown pulled me up from the bottom like that just to check for a license. Or maybe you should start thrashing around in the water yelling "I'm bent, I'm bent". They can wait until you surface to write you up.
 
NetDOC You Got That Right, attempted murder or reckless endangerment would be appropriate, here in Cal I have heard some real horror stories about Fish and Game tactics, like a dad I knew, who bending over to his son, to help him unsnag his fishing pole, was written a ticket for fishing without a license, because he 'touched' the pole. These F* work for us, and it's time for a little downsizing zeN
 
about having the license on you in the water, though I think thats going WAY overboard, after all they do have officers on land and water, how tough is it to radio in that there are shore divers and they are parked in such-and-that after they talk to them when they surface. OR, why not issue a license in similar fashion to what I used to have for running my stonecrab traps (X1829 on my bouys) and simply have it stenciled onto the dive flag so it is visible upon approach - at least then it can be called in and verified without hassling the diver for more than "lets see the size of those bugs buddy.." - I know I know, it makes to much sense and would require that someone without an ego and power trip in the state system and authority to get this through..

re zeN||: Honestly, FWC is seriously undermanned and underfunded in FL, hence their current requirements of having to have 1 year law enforcement before they'll consider your application - the budget to train enforcement officers simply isnt there. We have something like 18 officers to cover the coastline between Punta Gorda area through Marco/Ten thousand islands.. thats a LOT of coastline and very few guys. I can understand their tactics and sometimes sarcasm to deal with the folks who are trying to pull a fast one.. sometiems its misdirected on those of us who really do the little steps and hoops and think we're doing the right thing. Jenny got lucky to have a nice fella that gave her the low down. I noticed that he was wearing a Lt. bar and that probably helped with attitude.
 
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