The Law may hunt you down for showing illegal fish activity on the Internet!

[SpearMax]

FYI, This story has been all over the local television news and local newspapers. FWC Wildlife Officers are aggressively seeking the person(s) who did this. Those who would try to post photos on Spearboard or links to photos of illegal fish catches should take special note. We enforce the SB photo policy rigourously to protect the image of the sport and prevent any misinterpretation of the catches shown in the photos by those who might be against spearfishing. Read on!

Officials find man who posted video showing ray's torture

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localne...1eagleray.html

By Alejandra Cancino, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Thursday, June 21, 2007

Here is the video link showing what these people did to the ray:

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/mplayer/news/20747

State wildlife officials found the man who posted a YouTube video showing the torture of a spotted eagle ray.

Jeff Ardelean, a captain with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, said his office will not release the man's name until the case is closed. He said the man fears for his life after receiving anonymous death threats on the Internet.

Ardelean said the man was at Peanut Island with some friends when the crime took place.

"It appears that he had nothing to do with it," Ardelean said.

The man told officials that he tried to contact authorities about the crime, which might have taken place during a busy summer weekend about year ago.

"We are trying to verify that," Ardelean said.

The video shows a different man cutting off the ray's tail and then poking it with a knife. Seconds later, the eagle ray flips over while the man keeps poking it. Bystanders laugh and encourage him to keep going.

Ardelean said that depending on the charge, there might be a statute limitation on prosecution if the person who tortured the ray isn't found soon. A first-degree misdemeanor has a statute limitation of two years. A second-degree misdemeanor has a limitation of a year.

The cruel death of an animal, a third-degree felony under Florida law, has a limitation of three years.

Anyone with information is asked to call (888) 404-3922. If the information leads to an arrest, the informant might be entitled to a reward of $500.

[Petra]

Originally Posted by SpearMax

The man told officials that he tried to contact authorities about the crime, which might have taken place during a busy summer weekend about year ago.

Off the top of my head, I don't remember when Steve Irwin died??, but I do remember after he died hearing about a rash of incidents where people were randomly cutting the tails of rays in a form of retaliation. Lame, of course.

[keezdiver]

sick...

and it's not even the tail that gets you...is the freakin spine at the base of the tail.

i'd like to find those guys and poke them with a knife...TRUST me...they won't like it.

[RichT]

Originally Posted by SpearMax

FYI, This story has been all over the local television news and local newspapers. FWC Wildlife Officers are aggressively seeking the person(s) who did this. Those who would try to post photos on Spearboard or links to photos of illegal fish catches should take special note. We enforce the SB photo policy rigourously to protect the image of the sport and prevent any misinterpretation of the catches shown in the photos by those who might be against spearfishing. Read on!

Officials find man who posted video showing ray's torture

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localne...1eagleray.html

By Alejandra Cancino, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Thursday, June 21, 2007

Here is the video link showing what these people did to the ray:

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/mplayer/news/20747

State wildlife officials found the man who posted a YouTube video showing the torture of a spotted eagle ray.

Jeff Ardelean, a captain with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, said his office will not release the man's name until the case is closed. He said the man fears for his life after receiving anonymous death threats on the Internet.

Ardelean said the man was at Peanut Island with some friends when the crime took place.

"It appears that he had nothing to do with it," Ardelean said.

The man told officials that he tried to contact authorities about the crime, which might have taken place during a busy summer weekend about year ago.

"We are trying to verify that," Ardelean said.

The video shows a different man cutting off the ray's tail and then poking it with a knife. Seconds later, the eagle ray flips over while the man keeps poking it. Bystanders laugh and encourage him to keep going.

Ardelean said that depending on the charge, there might be a statute limitation on prosecution if the person who tortured the ray isn't found soon. A first-degree misdemeanor has a statute limitation of two years. A second-degree misdemeanor has a limitation of a year.

The cruel death of an animal, a third-degree felony under Florida law, has a limitation of three years.

Anyone with information is asked to call (888) 404-3922. If the information leads to an arrest, the informant might be entitled to a reward of $500.

Good post Tony.
Does everyone know that any moderator has the capability to run an IP search and find out who and where the posts are coming from?

Is everyone aware that this website is monitored each and every day by State and Federal law enforcement officials?
Is everyone aware that it is read by members of the Gulf Council and the South Atlantic Council?
Is everyone aware that it is read by the Florida Willdlife commisioners?
Is everyone aware that it is read by the National Marine Fisheries Service?
Is everyone aware it is read every single day by members of the Ocean Conservancy and other environmental extremist groups who are constantly trying to find ammunition to use against the sport of Spearfishing??
Does everyone know that Spearboard posts have already been used to tarnish spearfisherman and the sport!

I dont much care about the stingray incident but I do care when people get on here and hint about illegal activities or post about illegal activities!
I know that it is a very small percentage that does it and it may even be people planted here to make spearfisherman and the sport of Spearfishing look bad.

PLEASE! Think about what you post!! Spearboard is not some little place that you can be anonymous and chat with a couple buddies anymore.
Its read worldwide by a great many people, many of which can effect the sport of Spearfishing a great deal.

[SpearMax]

Rich, good post telling them the way it really is.

[WreckDiver]

Originally Posted by RichTaylor

I do care when people get on here and hint about illegal activities or post about illegal activities!
I know that it is a very small percentage that does it and it may even be people planted here to make spearfisherman and the sport of Spearfishing look bad.

PLEASE! Think about what you post!! Spearboard is not some little place that you can be anonymous and chat with a couple buddies anymore.
Its read worldwide by a great many people, many of which can effect the sport of Spearfishing a great deal.

I agree, even if I do have a stalker following me

[steelmeal]

Excellent post!!! If everyone were to abide by the law..... I'd be out of a job! Then I could spearfish all the time!

[JLittle44]

He said the man fears for his life after receiving anonymous death threats on the Internet.

This is about the biggest load of crap yet. People have the audacity to send death threats over the internet? What kind of lunatic would do such a thing? There are actually people willing to kill a guy for holding a camera?

Yeah, the eagle ray thing was terrible and you are a fool to A: break the law and B: post on the internet about it. But really, death threats? People as a group are just very stupid and dangerous.

[normanhghntr]

im with jeff on this one , a*&holes hurting a beautiful creature like that they need a poking with a baseball bat!! hey want some news dont be a shit head and break the law and youve got nothing to worry about

[apnea_beast]

rich,

thanks for the reality check. i think a lot of people on this board are oblivious to the possible consequences to themselves and the sport as a result of posting inappropriate or unethical content. also, ive said this before but i dont think some people are aware. the internet is the last place you want to post personal information or pictures of family, etc.

spearfishing is an extremely selective form of fishing which can be practiced with zero bycatch and zero collateral damage to surrounding marine ecosystems. there is no other form of fishing that can be employed in such a low-impact, sustainable manner. displays of hubris and barbarism that damage the integrity of the sport should not be tolerated.

[inletsurf]

Originally Posted by apnea_beast

spearfishing is an extremely selective form of fishing which can be practiced with zero bycatch and zero collateral damage to surrounding marine ecosystems. there is no other form of fishing that can be employed in such a low-impact, sustainable manner. displays of hubris and barbarism that damage the integrity of the sport should not be tolerated.

Apparently not to some people. I read threads every other day or so where members here admit to shooting and losing fish, fish tearing off, or leaving fish on the bottom for one reason or another. Does that mean that maybe, just maybe that ought to be kept out of threads?? I mean there are some sharp shooters on board here that are top of the game, but I'm positive that 90% of you lose fish, and at least 10% of you post it on weekly threads here.

Also, where in the article did it say that this man was a spearfisherman? Or is it the segue for this thread to transpire into a lecture for the few dumbasses on this forum?

[Summerland Key]

I don't think anyone claimed the eagle ray was taken by a spearfisherman. It was just brought up as an example of what not to do. Eagle rays are a protected species and when someone provided a video of a protected species being mutilated then it will get media attention.

[LGHT]

Great post. I Haven't been in the water for a few years and this saturday I was prevy to a large ray that swam close by. Very amazing fish the way it swims is almost like flying.

[So-Cal Spearo]

Killing stingrays is ****ing lame. Guys who spear them are just as bad...They give our sport a bad name.
I hope they catch the guys who did this.

[bgbill]

Originally Posted by So-Cal Spearo

Killing stingrays is ****ing lame. Guys who spear them are just as bad...They give our sport a bad name.
I hope they catch the guys who did this.

This Ray was Not Speared.