MONROE COUNTY, Fla. – A Little Torch Key man was arrested Friday afternoon for violating fishing regulations in the Florida Keys.
75-year-old Robert George Zalkus was apprehended at Boca Chica Beach for harvesting two queen conchs. Zalkus was diving for lobster from a kayak when his catch was inspected. Harvesting queen conch is prohibited in Florida as the species is considered commercially overfished.
In a separate incident on Saturday morning, a 55-year-old Miami man was cited for possessing undersized mangrove snapper. Armando Pages Linares was fishing near the Channel Two Bridge in Islamorada when Marine Deputy Jason Farr discovered two undersized mangrove snapper in his possession.
Zalkus was arrested and taken to jail, while Linares was issued a notice to appear in court. These cases highlight the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) ongoing efforts to protect marine resources and ensure sustainable fishing practices in the Florida Keys…