Get your licenses first, fish second...

[Fat Homer]

Ouch... i can feel your pain through the screen...especially coz there were some real beauties there too...

Also good luck with your application and hopefully you somehow manage to get it...

 

[celebrist]

So harsh, sorry

 

[Matteus]

thank you for sharing your painful experience
Hopefully this will save some future fish from the same fate for others also aiming to do things legally

 

[MrsE88]

How very sad I’m glad you got to keep your wels and I hope they will approve your license. Hopefully it will be passed along how well you have cooperated with authorities and they won’t stick so rigidly to the law.

 

[Backfromthedead]

Bah. I cannot abide such procedural bureaucracy. Its sounds like youve kept a cool head through it all though. I can't guarantee i would've been so cooperative. On my worst day perhaps a waco type scenario wouldve played out.

Best of luck with the ongoing ordeal and apologies for your losses. We all need keepers like you fighting the battles like this.

 

[islandguy11]

Wow what a story and learning experience for both you and us Viktor. And kudos for keeping a level head about it as you could, I'm with the crowd who would have probably lost it (and thus surely made things worse). Hopefully your good level of cooperation and sincerity will help the future application process, best of luck buddy.

 

[wednesday13]

Impossible to know ahead of time what to get a liscence for in every case. As you said if you try to get one after the fact or if a law is changed your just turning yourself in...its all a raquet sadly...Sorry u now further understand how this all works/pans out for hobbiest..really no way to explain the helplessness of these situations or the mental anguish that goes along with it unless youve been there yourself. Social media will 100% be the end of this hobby. Were too smart these days in identifying fish, providing all the info and pictures of proof we can keep them alive. no bueno... all it does is help the opposition have cause for action against us. Sorry u had to see it 1st hand.

 

[troutking]

too bad you couldn't sell the monsters to someone else so they could live on.

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

My application has been denied. And rightfully so.

The FWC was extremely nice to issue me just a warning for all the violations (they go by fish species) except one.

For the African tigerfish I have received a citation, on the insistence of Tallahassee and despite all the efforts of the investigating officer local to me, who was advising them to just give me the warnings.

The breaking of this particular Florida Administrative Code (possession of prohibited freshwater fish species without a permit) is punished by either a fine of up to $500 or a 60 day incarceration.

Will be up to the judge.

I am told that on 1st offence without other aggravating circumstances one most usually receives a small fine, like $100 plus court proceedings fees, altogether ~$350.

Court date is Oct 2. If I disappear for a couple of months, you all will know why.

 

[HarleyK]

Yikes!
Sorry to hear about your troubles.
Kudos for your honesty and transparency as well as professional respect towards those at FWC who do their job.

This is a no win story, very sad to hear.
Stand tall!