Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Beach Fishing Regulation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Resident asks county to review 1974 ordinance limiting beach anglers to two rods; commissioners agree to add agenda item
Summary
A Hobe Sound resident said a 1974 Martin County code limiting anglers to two rods may conflict with Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) practice and federal authority; commissioners asked staff to research the inconsistency and place the issue on a future agenda.
Arthur Ring, a Hobe Sound resident and angler, urged the Martin County Board of County Commissioners on May 6 to review a 1974 county ordinance that he said prohibits anglers from using more than two rods on county beaches. Ring said he was confronted by a federal wildlife officer while fishing at the Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge and was threatened with a citation; he said the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) told him it imposes no per-angler limit on number of rods, though it requires lines to be attended.
"Martin County, code section 83, there is a 83 36 a, which prohibits any angler from having more than 2 rods on Martin County beaches. That was written in 1974," Ring said, describing an encounter in which an officer threatened a fine or jail time. He asked the board to review Section 83 because some county rules appear redundant with FWC jurisdiction and federal refuge rules.
Commissioner Capps thanked Ring for raising the concern and asked staff to place the item on a future agenda for review; Commissioner Vargas said she understood and supported an agenda review. The board directed staff to prepare the item; no formal vote on a policy change was taken during public comment.
