A man from Hamilton, Ont. is facing multiple charges after Florida wildlife officers allegedly caught him illegally spearing protected lobsters in a marine sanctuary earlier this month. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says that officers arrested 42-year-old Marko Gacic on July 12 after responding to a tip through a hotline about someone spearfishing inside the Alligator Reef Sanctuary Preservation Area in Monroe County. Investigators allege an officer found Gacic in the water with a speargun and discovered two spiny lobsters in his possession. Police allege the lobster season was closed at the time and that both lobsters had been speared. They added that both were below the legal minimum size and one was carrying eggs. “Spearfishing is a prohibited method of take for spiny lobster, the lobster must have a carapace length larger than three inches for harvest and cannot be egg-bearing,” the release read. Officials say Gacic was arrested and charged with six misdemeanour offences related to spiny lobster violations and spearfishing within a preservation area. He was taken to a local jail without incident, police noted. “SPAs and other protected zones exist alongside our regulations to preserve our marine resource for future generations,” FWC Capt. Adam Garrison, the Monroe County area supervisor, said in a statement. “This blatant disregard of the rules will not be tolerated. I’m thankful to the member of the public that alerted us to this incident.” The FWC says Florida’s two-day recreational spiny lobster sport season runs from July 29 to 30, while the regular season opens Aug. 6 and continues through March 31.
