MARTIN COUNTY, Fla. (CBS12) — FWC officers followed the blood and uncovered a spearfishing scheme that ended with arrests near the St. Lucie Inlet.
On July 6, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) officers arrested four individuals for illegal spearfishing near the St. Lucie Inlet. The officers observed a vessel operating within 50 yards of another vessel displaying divers-down flags, a violation of Florida law, which requires vessels to operate at slow speed with minimum wake within 100 yards of such flags.
Upon conducting a vessel stop, officers said they noticed spearguns and wetsuits on board. Although the people on board initially denied having caught any fish, officers noticed blood on the deck and on one wetsuit. Further questioning led to the discovery of speared fish hidden in the boat’s live well…