It’s not Keys lobster season. But a Miami man was caught with one in his shorts, cops say
Spiny lobster season in Florida is about a month away, and it’s illegal to spearfish for the clawless delicacies in the Upper Florida Keys.
But according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, a Miami man committed a spectrum of fisheries violations when he shot eight spiny lobsters with a speargun in Islamorada on Sunday afternoon. He stuck one of them in his shorts, police say.
Six of the crustaceans were undersized, said Adam Linhardt, spokesman for the sheriff’s office.
A deputy cited Julio Acosta, 44, with possession of eight wrung lobster tails, possession of six undersized lobsters, possession of over-the-limit lobsters, possession of speared lobsters, having no measuring device, having no fishing license and having no dive flag, Linhardt said.
Acosta was not arrested, but he was given an order to appear before a judge. However, Keys prosecutors have been tough on fisheries violations, and he could face jail time, said Monroe County State Attorney Dennis Ward.
“The miniseason is fast approaching. Don’t even think about getting an early start. The violations above all carry jail and fine components,” Ward said in a post on his Facebook page Monday.
He was referring to the annual two-day season held the last Wednesday and Thursday in July when people can dive or bullynet for lobster. The bag limit in Monroe County and Biscayne National Park is six per person, and in the rest of the state, it’s 12 per person.
The regular recreational and commercial season runs from Aug. 6 through March 31.
Acosta could not be reached for comment.
According to the sheriff’s office, Deputy Willie Guerra spotted Acosta diving without a dive flag on the north end of the Channel 5 Bridge. Guerra saw Acosta spear a lobster and place it in the pocket of his shorts, Linhardt said.
Guerra confronted Acosta and asked him about his catch, and that’s when he found the wrung tails, Linhardt said.
More information about lobster regulations can be found at www.myfwc.com/fishing/salwater/recreational/lobster/
