GULF HARBORS, Fla. (WFLA) — The captain and crew of a commercial stone crab vessel were charged with illegally harvesting over 65 pounds of stone crab claws in Pasco County on Wednesday.

According to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) on Sept. 26, officers discovered a continuous line of blue crab traps near Gulf Harbors.

FWC officers said the line lacked buoys, violating state law.

The FWC release stated that the officers reconfirmed the line placement two days after their discovery, on Sept. 28, with no change in the legal requirements being met.

The official start to the recreational and commercial stone crab harvest season was Wednesday, Oct 15, which indicated to officers that the traps were being used to harvest stone crabs illegally.

On that day, an FWC off

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