FWC Drones

[milto]

Do you think they would have given some kind of reward??

[zload]

They seem to have lost another one...

http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/03/20/3 ... s-way.html

[MudDucker]

WOW... If it been me, I would have tried to tie a rope around in and pull it behind the boat

Me too, it would have made an awesome hood ornament for my truck!

[Ifishtoo]

This is not a surveillance drone, but this is the first article that I've seen that mentions cost. I would guess that a surveillance drone would be within 20% of the cost of this $500,000 + high tech, radio controlled aircraft. Sure seems like a lot of money to recover with fines. That does not even consider the cost of the ground support.

How much time can I do for using the wrong fish hook? And what's the fine? Can I use 80 lb test? Lord, have we all gone mad?

[Ifishtoo]

Maybe I'm missing something here...

Session law: 2013-33
Bill no.: CSSB 92
Summary: Outlawing the use of drones by
law enforcement, except (1) "to counter a high risk of
terrorist attack;" (2) upon the issuance of a warrant;
or (3) the police have reasonable suspicion that swift
action is needed to prevent imminent danger to life
or property.
Effective date: 7/1/2013

Dang, does that mean the life of a friggin fish? How about cows? Racoons? Dogs and cats? Oysters? hm??

[Gumbo]

Your boat can be searched without a warrant. If you are in the St. Marks Refuge, your vehicle can also be searched without a warrant.

The Fourth Amendment protects "reasonable" expectations of privacy, which you forfeit by boating in State and Federal waters or being on Federal lands.

Given my research, these provisions would be upheld as Constitutional. Doesn't mean I like them. In fact, I do not. I had my boat, truck, trailer, toolbox, everything inspected on the day before Thanksgiving in 1993 at St. Marks. By the end of this episode, I was expecting to be told to turn my head and cough. I was mad enough to spend time researching this issue.

And I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night. I'm an attorney.

[MudDucker]

Your boat can be searched without a warrant. If you are in the St. Marks Refuge, your vehicle can also be searched without a warrant.

The Fourth Amendment protects "reasonable" expectations of privacy, which you forfeit by boating in State and Federal waters or being on Federal lands.

Given my research, these provisions would be upheld as Constitutional. Doesn't mean I like them. In fact, I do not. I had my boat, truck, trailer, toolbox, everything inspected on the day before Thanksgiving in 1993 at St. Marks. By the end of this episode, I was expecting to be told to turn my head and cough. I was mad enough to spend time researching this issue.

And I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night. I'm an attorney.

Yep, I decided not to post this because I got my hide peeled back on another forum for pointing this out. The truth is, when you are in the great outdoors, they can look at you.

[Scoop Sea]

Your boat can be searched without a warrant. If you are in the St. Marks Refuge, your vehicle can also be searched without a warrant.

The Fourth Amendment protects "reasonable" expectations of privacy, which you forfeit by boating in State and Federal waters or being on Federal lands.

Given my research, these provisions would be upheld as Constitutional. Doesn't mean I like them. In fact, I do not. I had my boat, truck, trailer, toolbox, everything inspected on the day before Thanksgiving in 1993 at St. Marks. By the end of this episode, I was expecting to be told to turn my head and cough. I was mad enough to spend time researching this issue.

And I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night. I'm an attorney.

Yep, I decided not to post this because I got my hide peeled back on another forum for pointing this out. The truth is, when you are in the great outdoors, they can look at you.

I can somewhat understand the legality of searching your vehicle/boat, etc in a NWR in which you paid a fee to go into (that would show you understand this area is for lack of better words, a controlled environment), but being searched out on State Waters seems like a stretch to me. I'm not disputing ya'lls legal training and understandings, it just doesn't make sense to me. Can your vehicle be searched out on I-10 as well since it's a State road? Is the key issue "probable cause", i.e. out on the water and in a vehicle the officer has to have probable cause to conduct the search or can they search your vehicle/boat automatically?

I've never gotten a fishing/hunting violation or even a warning and I tend to play by the rules, but I'm just curious as to the legality of conducting open searches out on the water. Any further info would be appreciated. MD, I'm asking, so if the hide starts getting peeled, send em my way, I've got plenty that can be removed.

[dogonenuts]

Would salvage laws apply to a drone?

[MudDucker]

My comment was with regard to drone observation, not searches of your boat or car. If you are in a federal or state preserve, you agree to search as a party of your entry. On the open seas, FWC can not make a search of a locked compartment without a warrant or probable cause. They can use dogs to create probable cause, then the search is on. Most folks willingly let them search.

[Scoop Sea]

My comment was with regard to drone observation, not searches of your boat or car. If you are in a federal or state preserve, you agree to search as a party of your entry. On the open seas, FWC can not make a search of a locked compartment without a warrant or probable cause. They can use dogs to create probable cause, then the search is on. Most folks willingly let them search.

Thanks for the clarification MD on "drone observation vs searches of your boat or car".