Bay County man fined for shark fin, shark meat sales
News Release
Friday, December 17, 2010
Media contact: Stan Kirkland, 850-265-3676
A Panama City Beach man has been found guilty on 13
charges in Bay County Court for illegally selling shark fins, shark
meat and king mackerel.
Harold Hix (DOB 08/27/44) must pay a $650 fine and
serve 12 months probation.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
(FWC) investigators say Hix routinely fished from both the Panama
City Beach City Pier and the nearby county pier, where he caught
several species of large, coastal sharks. He then sold both the
fins and meat to FWC undercover investigators.
Capt. Bruce Cooper, leader of the FWC's
Investigations Section in Northwest Florida, said, "No recreational
anglers may sell sharks or parts of sharks unless they are properly
licensed. Those who are licensed commercially can sell some
species of sharks or other marine fish during open seasons for
those species.
"This is part of our ongoing effort to curb
unlawful sales of saltwater products by unlicensed people and the
unlawful sale of protected marine species," Cooper said.
Hix sold investigators 56 shark fins, shark meat
and king mackerel on Sept. 8 and on Oct. 1 and 9. The shark
species included hammerhead, blacktip, tiger, nurse and bull.
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