Wow, getting serious in the keys!
- Thread starter Me No Nemo
- Start date
Brazengrrl
New member
Ouch!
ricanboy57
New member
they need to make the fines tougher or something. My manager goes and takes live rock from the keys, i hope one of these days he gets caught and i mean that sincerely. So many people point to aquarium owners as the reason for reef degradation, and it's people like that, that give them the reason to do so. If anything we help out with reef conservation more then the layman.
ricanboy57
New member
well seth i think thats the problem, there isn't such a thing as blackmarket coral trade. Because once it's on shore theres no way to tell if it's propagated or wild caught. There are coral not allowed to be owned so i guess thats what would be concidered "black market".
InLimbo87
New member
It'll be interesting to see if this guy actually gets in real trouble for this. Seems like anytime someone gets in trouble for something related to animals/wildlife, they usually get out of it quite easy. Now, if it was 300 pounds of marijuana, it would be a whole different story...
Me No Nemo
Premium Member
Fish and Wildlife is certainly cracking down. Seems like about every other time we are out on Mosquito Lagoon we get boarded for safety check and they ask to see our livewells and coolers. We catch and release so we never have to worry, but I'm sure it's sending a message to those who don't stay within the guidelines and there are lots who don't! There are a number of things we can do to prevent fish loss when angling: remove barbs with a file so as not to damage the fish; use bronze hooks which break down much faster in saltwater than stainless steel in case they get swallowed or the line gets broken and make sure to remove fishing line from the water or other areas. I love that Fish and Wildlife now are providing receptacles near fishing docks for recycling fishing line. Here's hoping lots of people use them!!
ricanboy57
New member
Thats good to hear. Hopefully they stay on it and keep that message going.
jenlovesty
New member
I have a question. I just moved from Ft Lauderdale where dead reef rock was all over the shallows on the beaches. I knew people who went and collected the rock to put in their tanks as base rock. Is that illegal?
mrcrab
In Memoriam
KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. - A man was arrested Thursday after about 350 pounds of coral and rocks were found on his boat during a routine safety inspection, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said.
Alain Salermo, 37, was arrested and charged with harvesting/possession of live rock after more than 80 rocks were found on his boat in a Key Biscayne marina, said Officer Jorge Pino, a commission spokesman.
It is illegal to stand on or touch any live or dead coral, the Coast Guard said in a statement.
ricanboy57
New member
but rock isn't coral. I think it's ok to gather "rock" on shore as long as it's not at anytime in the water. i guess it comes down to whats your definition of "reef rock".
Brazengrrl
New member
I wonder if he was takin it for personal use?
waterfaller1
New member
That's exactly what it is.
jenlovesty
New member
The rock my friend was taking was dead coral that has been broken off the reef during the hurricanes. It lines the shallows in south florida.
Thanks for the info guys. I will let him know not to take the dead coral pieces from the shallows.
bluerug
Moved On
Well if you own a home down in the keys and you live on the ocean chances are your sea wall is natural and made of what is called bedrock which very much looks like the rock that we have in our tanks. It is perfectly fine to take the rocks from your own sea wall and use them for baserock in your aquarium. If any of you do not know what i mean feel free to pm me. And if you do not own a home and are a talkative person you can simply go up to someone and ask if you can take a few pieces of their rock from the sea wall. A good sea wall will also include a concrete structure as well along with the rock on the left and right side.
RicksReefs
New member
ALL rock is illegal, whether from the beach, a wall, or from 30 feet.
my first week in florida had me in the keys and i was standing in the parking lot of the quay restaraunt, which was paved in coral rock rubble. I picked up a fist sized piece and was quickly lectured by the F&G guy not 10 feet away. when I said 'you just watched me pick it up from a parking lot' his response was ' I find that in your vehicle, and I'll assume it's from the water 10 feet away and I'll take your vehicle'
my first week in florida had me in the keys and i was standing in the parking lot of the quay restaraunt, which was paved in coral rock rubble. I picked up a fist sized piece and was quickly lectured by the F&G guy not 10 feet away. when I said 'you just watched me pick it up from a parking lot' his response was ' I find that in your vehicle, and I'll assume it's from the water 10 feet away and I'll take your vehicle'
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