A man from North Carolina was arrested on Saturday near Sunshine Key in the Florida Keys after being caught with four undersized spiny lobsters that were below the minimum legal size limit.
According to the Monroe County Sheriff's Office, the marine unit officer from the Lower Keys Luis Guiardinu was patrolling the waters in the area around 2:14 PM when he observed several people catching lobsters.
Upon inspecting the group, the agent identified Joe Lopez, a 37-year-old resident of Raleigh, North Carolina, as the offender.
Lopez was arrested on the spot and taken to jail.
Florida regulations stipulate that, during the regular season for recreational and commercial spiny lobster fishing—which runs from August 6 to March 31—the shell of the animal must measure over three inches (7.62 centimeters) in order to be legally retained.
That measurement, which excludes the tail, must be taken while the lobster is still in the water.
In Monroe County and Biscayne National Park, the daily limit for recreational capture is six lobsters per person, compared to the 12 allowed in the rest of the state.
The law also prohibits the use of harpoons or spearfishing guns to capture lobsters, separating the tails from the body underwater, and using tools that pierce or crush the shell.
Lopez's arrest occurs in the context of active surveillance by county authorities and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) regarding compliance with fishing regulations.
The Florida Keys are one of the country's most popular destinations for recreational spiny lobster diving, attracting thousands of visitors each season, as well as some violators.
This type of arrest is not uncommon in the area. In August 2025, a man was arrested in the Keys with 53 lobsters before the official start of the season, and weeks earlier, another case of illegal fishing resulted in several arrests for catching lobsters out of season and not adhering to diving regulations.
Authorities are publicly disseminating these cases as a deterrent for those who plan to ignore regulations.
Those who wish to report violations related to wildlife conservation can call the FWC's hotline at 888-404-3922 or do so online through the portal MyFWC.com/WildlifeAlert.
Related videos:
Filed under: