TOO SMALL OYSTERS

Officer Jones encountered an oysterman returning to a boat ramp on the shore of East Bay near the community of Holley. There were oysters on the cull board of the boat and Jones conducted a routine inspection of the catch.

Jones found that more than 10 percent of the oysters were less than the 3-inch minimum size allowed by state law and issued a citation to the oysterman with a mandatory court appearance.

STATE LAND DESTRUCTION

While off duty, Officer Hutchinson received a late-night call from a Santa Rosa County deputy about a large group of people riding ATVs at Keyser's Landing in the Escambia River Wildlife Management Area.

Hutchinson went on duty, headed to the landing and met the deputy, who was speaking with a group of teenagers who were riding ATVs. Several of the teenagers told the officers that a man and his girlfriend were in a truck spinning out and tearing up the campsites at Keyser's Landing.

The officers then saw a truck coming toward them from the landing. The teens identified the truck as being the one that was destroying the campsites.

Hutchinson encountered the man driving the truck and recognized him as a person about whom several complaints have been reported. The subject was under age 21 and was in possession of alcoholic beverages.

While investigating, Hutchinson observed fresh tire ruts in the middle of a campsite and dirt thrown from the ruts onto a nearby picnic table.

The subject admitted to spinning out in the campsite and was issued a notice to appear for destruction of state lands by a motor vehicle and possession of alcohol by a person under 21.

The group riding the ATVs were warned for operating ATVs on a public roadway.

This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: State land destruction among FWC violations