Florida Dive Shop Owner Arrested
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Caveeagle
Contributor
That’s a stretch at best, trying to find a silver lining to this! No doubt showing that the FWC is watching out for this might keep some of the locals in line.
I just refuse to hold back my disgust for cheaters and scammers of any kind! If you do a little research on this, you find there is NO way these were just innocent mistakes,
lowlysubaruguy
Contributor
Hopefully they figure out a way to actually monitor the program correctly and then to actually know if its working at all. Up here in the NW we have a squaw fish program thats been in effect a long time. The squaw fish are responsible for huge losses of salmon and steelhead counts in there juvenile stage. In the early years people cheated the rules and made more money from it than the creators of it ever thought possible, It was really stupid but they found some solutions. What was stupid is they required that the fish be caught in certain areas of the rivers and not in there spawning areas. There easier to catch in spawning areas. And what difference does it make if the fish were caught 1/2” mile upriver from where you said they should be caught. There all in the same water system and why not kill them while there spawning.
We have check stations at most ports and boat launches the fish are collected and recorded and the payment comes from that not some phony picture. I can tell you there are guys here making 6 figures but they work pretty hard at it.
worrying about a few people that have cheated is pointless finding solutions is key if its going to stay in action. I’m all for it if its proving to be worth the money but I worry its another government sponsored program that will never even come close to being worth the money spent.
We have check stations at most ports and boat launches the fish are collected and recorded and the payment comes from that not some phony picture. I can tell you there are guys here making 6 figures but they work pretty hard at it.
worrying about a few people that have cheated is pointless finding solutions is key if its going to stay in action. I’m all for it if its proving to be worth the money but I worry its another government sponsored program that will never even come close to being worth the money spent.
Caveeagle
Contributor
Totally disagree with this part of your post. Although there are a lot of divers in Florida, through social media, or otherwise, this a pretty connected community. Many either know, or know of these two defendants. And, word gets around pretty fast in this world. If the FWA chooses to turn a blind eye to flagrant rule breakers, it WILL encourage others to follow suit!
Why is it that there always seems to be clowns who can’t play by the rules, and eventually f**k up a good thing?
lowlysubaruguy
Contributor
my real point there was that I hope the people who are running this show will figure out a way to make it work. Or work better Our program up here requires the fish to be counted and destroyed which probably costs more money in manpower and equipment than the people who cheat like mentioned. But there’s still people who cheat it’s just harder now that they have people checking for various ways of cheating. Your program is really new hopefully there working on solutions. And more so I hope it makes an impact on the damage lion fish do. I’ve read here and other places it won’t make a dent because there’s so many lion fish that hang out in deep water.
people steal and cheat it’s a part of life. I have one employee who I’ve caught stealing from me he doesn’t know it. I don’t have a replacement for him right now. Without him there’s no trip to Fiji in feb no trip to Florida in December so I’m dealing with it for now but looking for a solution. Now here’s my grandmothers story. She ran a small grocery store in Wyoming it had these mirrors that she could see each isle she’d see people shoplift from her, instead of calling them on it which did nothing she would overcharge them at the register there usually focused on getting out of the store and never caught on.
iyakonboats
Sound reasoning and science trumps your feelings
On one hand, I do not like thieves and cheats; however, on the other hand, my hatred towards the government runs so deep and thick I almost want to give them an award. Nevertheless, morality prevails and I would never side with anyone who cheats in such a manner because, in the end, it is taxpayer dollar they're scamming.
Given all of this, there is the court of public opinion, which in my case is amusing, but worthless; however, there is the court of law, which is the ultimate matter and shouldn't be influenced by public opinion or feelings. Given that, we're all protected by the constitution and we are innocent until proven guilty and I would hope, from the deepest parts of my American born heart, these folks have exercised their Fifth Amendment right and, in the end, a just decision is reached on the crimes for which they're accused of.
Now, my opinion, since I grew up in West Palm Beach, it doesn't surprise me to read a story about someone doing this kind of thing in that area :-/
Given all of this, there is the court of public opinion, which in my case is amusing, but worthless; however, there is the court of law, which is the ultimate matter and shouldn't be influenced by public opinion or feelings. Given that, we're all protected by the constitution and we are innocent until proven guilty and I would hope, from the deepest parts of my American born heart, these folks have exercised their Fifth Amendment right and, in the end, a just decision is reached on the crimes for which they're accused of.
Now, my opinion, since I grew up in West Palm Beach, it doesn't surprise me to read a story about someone doing this kind of thing in that area :-/
Caveeagle
Contributor
I regards to the court of public opinion: I am glad that the word seems to be out. One benefit of social media. Even if they manage to get off on the charges, I know quite a few people that will never dive with them again.
Re south Fla, I am pretty sure at least one of them is a transplant from Texas.
The “Florida Man” Montra is amusing.. however you fine relatively few Florida natives. And. I have lived all over the country and there are plenty of idiots to go around.
iyakonboats
Sound reasoning and science trumps your feelings
You know, from living here in Texas as a transplant, and trust me they let you know you're a transplant, I've learned everything is bigger in Texas...including stupidity!
Trust me, I love where I come from, it is rare for people to hear "I'm Floridian" and even more rare at times when I am back home and say "I'm born and raised here", in fact, I still have a valid ID card there, hopefully, I'll move back before it expires.
I must admit, I thought "Florida Man" was a single man going around doing incredibly stupid stuff, seriously, I am not joking. It wasn't until I noticed one time it was a young black male, then followed by an older white male, then another a middle-aged white woman. This, sadly, is where I realized "Florida Man" wasn't a specific person, just a Mantra as you mentioned. Once again, I love where I come from, but I'll always find it amusing some of the stuff which goes on in Florida, which, other than living in paradise, is another reason why living in Florida is so exciting.
lowlysubaruguy
Contributor
I’m interested in seeing how it works. Our Squaw fish program here is interesting there throwing millions of dollars at it. I have buddies who make $10K a year or more in a couple months.
Me I am eager to kill Lion fish with or without a bounty even if its a hopeless cause. And will soon be diving there enough to take advantage of it regardless of if I cover any costs of my dive but part of me thinks if I could offset a days diving with $20 to $30 I might be able to hit the water one or two more days a week when I semi retire there for the winter. But that depends on how big a pain in the ass it is to get paid for them. You have to jump through some red tape up here but after your through it its not bad I never participate in it but I kill a number of them when I’m salmon fishing.
As far as the ones that are ripping us tax payers off. There aren’t enough words. Every dollar you steal front he government in a program like this probably cost us $3 given how inefficient the government works. Theres probably $3 in BS for every buck processed.
Me I am eager to kill Lion fish with or without a bounty even if its a hopeless cause. And will soon be diving there enough to take advantage of it regardless of if I cover any costs of my dive but part of me thinks if I could offset a days diving with $20 to $30 I might be able to hit the water one or two more days a week when I semi retire there for the winter. But that depends on how big a pain in the ass it is to get paid for them. You have to jump through some red tape up here but after your through it its not bad I never participate in it but I kill a number of them when I’m salmon fishing.
As far as the ones that are ripping us tax payers off. There aren’t enough words. Every dollar you steal front he government in a program like this probably cost us $3 given how inefficient the government works. Theres probably $3 in BS for every buck processed.
iyakonboats
Sound reasoning and science trumps your feelings
It is a compounding problem, scammers suck and so does the government, with their powers combined....we just get screwed.
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