MONROE COUNTY, Fla. – A Palm Harbor man faces a mandatory court appearance after a marine officer found him with undersized lobster in the Middle Keys on Saturday morning.
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Marine Deputy Willie Guerra was patrolling the Toms Harbor Channel Bridge near Mile Marker 60.5 around 11 a.m. on Aug. 29 when he saw a diver in the water.
Authorities identified the diver as 55-year-old Konstantinos “Gus” Tsiouklas.
When Guerra checked the diver’s catch, he discovered Tsiouklas had four lobsters that did not meet the legal size limits.
The deputy issued Tsiouklas a citation with a mandatory notice to appear in court.
State regulations require spiny lobsters to have a carapace length greater than three inches, measured in the water, along with a valid saltwater fishing license and a lobster permit. Officials note that current size and bag limit rules are available online at www.myfwc.com.
READ: Dozens Of Inches Short: 2 North Carolina Divers Cited Over Undersized Florida Keys Lobsters
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