Diving

More Lobster Mobsters Arrested

CITIZEN STAFF

http://keysnews.com/

Wildlife officers chased two suspected lobster poachers Saturday as they reportedly attempted to out-swim a state boat near Ohio Key, just east of Bahia Honda State Park.

One of the men swam to Sunshine Key Camping Resort in the hope of outrunning Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers, but was captured after a foot chase through the campground, agency spokesman Bobby Dube said.

Ivan Rodriguez, 46, and Nelson Amaro-Montesino, 27, both of Miami, were charged with taking lobster out of season, snorkeling with no dive flag, interfering with an officer and resisting arrest — all misdemeanors.

Officers found 31 lobsters in a dive bag and spearfishing equipment in the water after their arrest, Dube said. Of the 31 lobster, about a third were undersized and had been speared, he said.

The agency received a call around 7 p.m., reporting that two men were in the water just outside the Ohio Key Channel without a dive flag, Dube said. He did not know whether the call came from a boater or someone driving over the bridge. Two officers responded and watched the men from a distance before stopping them, Dube said.

“They tried to swim to shore and wouldn’t get in our boat,” Dube said.

As officers followed the men, Amaro-Montesino tired and eventually boarded the agency’s vessel, Dube said. Rodriguez made it to shore before officers corralled him in the campground, Dube said.

The Monroe County State Attorney’s Office is reviewing the case, and more charges could be pending, Dube said.

Back in the channel, officers found a milk jug with a spear gun tied to it and a bag containing lobster.

Both men were taken to jail in Marathon and county Judge Tegan Slaton set their bond at $74,000.

The lobster “mini season” runs July 28 and 29. Regular season begins on Aug. 6 and runs through March 31. It is illegal to spearfish for lobster any time, anywhere in Florida.

Snapper Ledge Reef, in the Florida Keys, Protection is Fast-Tracked

Divers consider Snapper Ledge among the most beautiful places in the Keys to take a plunge. (Photo by Tim Grollimund)

Snapper Ledge, a shallow reef off Tavernier, could be declared a protected marine zone by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council.

Many Upper Keys divers, spearheaded by underwater photographer Stephen Frink, describe Snapper Ledge as a vibrant reef with diverse fish life, yet it is not designated as Sanctuary Preservation Area under the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.

As of this week, 3,036 people had signed an online petition to change the Snapper Ledge status to a no-take zone. Efforts have been going on since 2008.

Amending Keys sanctuary rules to add a new Sanctuary Preservation Area involves reports and hearings that could take until 2015 at the earliest, sanctuary officials say.

“We’ve had requests from constituents to get it done more quickly, so in August we asked the South Atlantic Council to look into it,” said David Makepeace, an Upper Keys marine educator who serves on the Sanctuary Advisory Council.

“Much to my surprise, they said they would look into it,” Makepeace said. “Frankly, I did not expect this much action this soon.”

At a 4 p.m. Monday meeting at the Hilton Key Largo Resort at mile marker 97, the South Atlantic Council will take general comments on several issues, including whether the agency should begin working on a marine-protected zone for Snapper Ledge. A final decision would be months away.

“Personally, I support it,” Makepeace said. “I don’t want to create a precedent for using spot-zoning based on individual needs, but the Snapper Ledge situation and concerns are somewhat unique.”

Also Monday, the council also will review a proposal to establish 56 areas in Keys waters around protected elkhorn and staghorn corals where lobster-trap fishing would be banned.

The zones as proposed came out of talks between the Florida Keys Commercial Fishermen’s Association, the Keys Sanctuary and local marine-conservation groups.

“We’re on board for almost of the zones, except for three,” FKCFA Executive Director Bill Kelly said. “We’re asking them to them to shrink those or break them into two or more zones to cover a smaller area.”

Those three include a large area off Newfound Harbor in the Lower Keys, one off Davis Reef near Long Key, and one inside Carysfort Reef off Key Largo.

“Fishermen are all in favor of protecting the coral but these three zones include a lot of ground where there is no [branching coral],” he said.

The South Atlantic Council also is considering creating new rules that could limit the use of powerhead fishing — using a spear that uses a shotgun shell to take large fish, or create a special permit for powerhead fishing.

For information on the proposed rules, go to www.safmc.net. No action will be taken at Monday’s meeting, but officials will explain various proposals and take comments.

Florida Keys History of Diving Museum in Islamorada Opening a Public Research Library

The History of Diving Museum in Islamorada dedicates its Bauer Diving History Research Library on Feb. 29 at the museum, mile marker 83 bayside.

The ribbon-cutting celebration is from 6 to 8 p.m. RSVP is required, call 664-9737 or send an e-mail to info@divingmuseum.org.

Named after the museum’s founders, Joe and Sally Bauer, the new facility serves as the repository of the Bauer Library Collection, which consists of about 2,500 volumes. It is one of the most comprehensive collections of rare books relative to the story of undersea exploration and was amassed by the Bauers over four decades.

The collection is focused on titles published prior to the mid-1900s and includes some publications dating back to the 1700s. Included are books, prints, woodcuts, catalogues, and photographs illustrating diving history, treasure hunting, submarine warfare, natural history and other aspects of underwater exploration.

The project was made possible with a grant from the Monroe County Tourist Development Council. The grant allowed the museum to purchase custom archival-quality bookshelves, document storage drawers, a waterless fire-suppression system, light fixtures and an art hanging system. There is also wireless Internet and audio-visual equipment to make it a functional space for business meetings and events, available for rent.

“The staff, board, and volunteers have all worked extremely hard on this project and its completion signifies a very important step forward for our young museum,” said Erin Wolfe, manager of collections and administration.

Tickets for the opening event are $25 ($15 for museum members). Drink tickets and hors d’oeuvres are included. The deadline to RSVP is Feb. 22.

The museum is open to the general public daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The research library and meeting room will be accessible during those hours.

Lobster Mobster Caught Off Grassy Key

By KEVIN WADLOW

http://www.keysnet.com

Wednesday, June 02, 2010

Fifteen lobster tails were seized as evidence Monday when state wildlife officers arrested a St. Augustine man spearfishing near Grassy Key. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers charged Bruce L. Beall, 39, with 19 misdemeanor counts of conservation violations.

FWC officers checked Beall when they saw him spearfishing in Gulf of Mexico waters north of Grass Key, FWC spokesman Bobby Dube said. It’s illegal to spear lobster, and to separate tails from the lobster body on the water. All the tails were undersized and taken in a closed season, Dube said.

If the lobster had been egg-bearing, “he’d have had the whole set” of possible crawfish violations, Dube noted. The incident was the most serious conservation violation reported from the Memorial Day weekend in the Keys, the officer said.

Lobster season is closed from April 1 to the sport-diving days the last Wednesday and Thursday in July.

Adios Lobster Casitas & Lobster Mobsters

Restorative justice may include casita removalOperation Freezer Burn, a multiyear investigation by state and federal law enforcement agencies, took down two of the most legendary lobster poachers in the Florida Keys, Dave Dreifort, and his wife, Denise. Sentenced to 30 months and seven months respectively, the couple also was ordered to forfeit more than $1 million in property.

In addition to the Dreiforts, the investigation secured four other convictions with sentences ranging from 10 months in prison to a year on parole.A subsequent investigation, dubbed Frost Bite, successfully nabbed two more men who had worked with the Dreiforts in the past, John Buckheim and Nick Demauro, both 23 years old. Each of these men has pleaded guilty and now await their sentences.In the latter case, we have seen something a bit different. Buckheim and Demauro have taken it upon themselves to start undoing some of the harm they have done.In addition to poaching lobsters, much of the case made by the government revolved around illegal lobster habitats, or “casitas.”

These are man-made structures — often old oil drums or discarded appliances — intended to attract lobsters so they can be easily, and illegally, harvested.Tens of thousands of these casitas scattered throughout Florida Keys waters create what many experts consider an ecological disaster, disrupting natural migration patterns and tearing up the sea floor. Removal of the artificial lobster habitats is a major priority for the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, but hiring commercial salvors for the job is very expensive.While awaiting their sentencing, Buckheim and Demauro, with the permission of sanctuary officials, have been removing hundreds of the illegally placed casitas from the Gulf of Mexico.

Their motivation is simple: to show they have taken responsibility for their actions and are helping repair the harm they and others have done. And, of course, they hope to curry favor with the judge who will be handing down their sentences.In legal circles, this behavior is referred to as restorative justice.These young men are far from role models, and they certainly should experience consequences for breaking the law. But we cannot help but note that their pre-emptive corrective action contributes to a sense that justice has been better served in this case than in others where the criminals are serving jail time.The debris littering the ocean floor must be removed. It can be done by contractors at considerable taxpayer expense or it can be done at little to no cost by Buckheim and Demauro. We hope the court considers this when considering what sentence best fits the crime — and the public good.–

The Citizen

via Editorial | KeysNews.com.

Are You Ready For The Spiny Lobster Sport (Mini) Season?

Diving for lobster in Florida’s upcoming mini-season can be deadly, warns a leading dive-safety organization.

“Divers get excited and rush to dive without preparation, and most of them are out of shape,” said Petar Denoble, a physician who serves as senior research director for the Divers Alert Network. ”They underestimate the level of exercise required for diving, particularly lobster diving,” said Denoble, author of a recent report published in DAN’s Alert Diver magazine. The past four years have seen 14 divers die during Florida’s annual two-day mini-season — 10 of them in Florida Keys waters, the leading destination for lobster hunters.

In contrast, only six divers died while hunting lobster statewide in the regular eight-month lobster season in the same 2005-08 period. This year’s lobster sport-diving season arrives July 29 and 30.

“Why the higher percentage of deaths in the two-day preseason? Our best guess is that mini-season may be the time many divers take their first plunge of the year,” Denoble wrote. “Or they’ve made relatively few dives thus far and haven’t gotten up to speed on their skills and conditioning…. The underwater chase, frequent ascents and many repetitive dives over the two-day season can take a toll, even on the most experienced divers.” He pointed out that most of the mini-season deaths can be traced to heart problems in divers in their late 40s and older.

There was no evidence that air embolisms, typically responsible for about a third of all diving deaths, caused any of the 20 lobster-related deaths that DAN staff studied. Denoble called that finding “interesting,” but cautioned against drawing broad conclusions from the relatively small number of case studies.

After three divers died in Monroe County waters during the 2005 mini-season, authorities called for increased caution. All three were out-of-county residents; the youngest was 49.

But the 2006 season was even deadlier, with four fatalities.

There were two lobster diving deaths in the Keys last year, after one death in 2007.

Many of the deaths could be linked to those with known medical problems, or who had undiagnosed conditions.

A lobster-season safety campaign was launched this spring to warn divers to check their equipment and be aware of physical demands. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Diving Equipment and Marketing Association and DAN prepared the program.

“People who live a sedentary lifestyle must assume they are out of shape,” Denoble said. “Divers may try to chase lobster the same way they did it when they were 25. But at 50, it doesn’t work that way any more.”

Denoble recommended that older divers have regular checkups, and exercise throughout the year.

“Get prepared. You cannot go out and play a game without practice,” he said. “This is your game, and you need to win.”

An estimated 30,000 divers go out for lobster in a typical mini-season, with about 60 percent of them planning to do it in the Keys.

Lobster Season PSA

A few other safety tips from DAN:

1. Remember that an underwater hunt strains your body much more than a typical recreational dive.
2. If you do not exercise vigorously and frequently on land, do not dive if you are not fit for it. Do not hunt underwater.
3. Do not lobster hunt on your first dive. If you did not have a chance to make some dives before the mini-season, remember that full lobster season starts in August and lasts through March. Use the preseason time to refresh your skills and improve your fitness. By doing this, you will be ready for many safe lobster hunts during the regular season.
4. Lobster hunting is a serious dive operation, even at a depth of 10 ft (3m). Ensure that the diver in you maintains control over the hunter in you.
5. Remember, you caught nothing if you did not bring it to the surface and cook it.

For a more in-depth look at dive safety during the mini-lobster season, visit alertdiver.com.

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FWC 2008 Lobster Report is In… Florida Keys Rules!

Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission
Fish & Wildlife Research Institute

Summary Report of the 2008-2009 Recreational Spiny Lobster Fishing Season

Dear recreational lobster fisher,

Thank you for your participation in recreational lobster fisher surveys for the 2008-2009 fishing season. You indicated on your questionnaire that you were interested in receiving a summary of the results of these surveys.  We are providing you with the information we collected from more than 2,400 recreational lobster license holders who responded to our surveys about the 2008 Special Two-Day Sport Season and the first month of the regular recreational lobster fishing season. Read more…

Women Getaways in the Florida Keys

With scores of recreational activities that cater to women, the Keys are a perfect destination for women-only getaways or solo adventures. Each area in the island chain that stretches from Key Largo to Key West offers its own one-of-a-kind attractions. And while the Keys have a Caribbean appeal, they’re actually all American — no passport is required and English is the native tongue. A selection of girls’ getaway activities is listed here, but in reality the possibilities are as diverse and intriguing as the island chain itself. Underwater Stress Relief Just beneath the tip of mainland Florida lies Key Largo, the northernmost of the Florida Keys. There, women seeking renewal beneath the sea can plunge 25 feet to discover the statue of Christ of the Abyss at Key Largo Dry Rocks. This nine-foot-tall bronze statute rises so close to the surface that it can be seen by snorkelers as well as divers.

Key Largo is known as the scuba diving capital of the world, but it also offers a way to experience North America’s only living coral reef without getting wet. Sail aboard the Key Largo Princess, a 70-foot, glass-bottom, 129-passenger yacht to view the exciting underwater world of John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, the only undersea park in the United States. The Key Largo Princess is located at the Holiday Inn Docks off U.S. Highway 1 at mile marker (MM) 100.

Islamorada, just down U.S. 1 from Key Largo, offers a wide variety of fine restaurants and day spas for sybaritic pampering. For women seeking an all-over tan, the tanning bed can be the large forward couch on Two Chicks Charters’ 26-foot Leisure Cat. The smooth-riding boat accommodates up to six people for an eco-tour to experience the natural beauty of the mangrove islands, an underwater treasure hunt, or a sunset on Florida Bay. Catch the boat at Worldwide Sportsman Bayside Marina, MM 81.5 in Islamorada. Read more…

Key Largo’s Reef Snapper Ledge Would Benefit From No-Take Status