Weak Crab Harvest Perplexes by KEVIN WADLOW Ph.D Crustacean Researcher Keys Are a Prime Source for Claws Fishers Are Based in the Keys
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It’s nice to deal with a local bank.” Tom Hill - Key Largo Fisheries Jay Frins - Triple J Investments & ASAP, Inc Member FDICMember Equal Housing Lender WWW.KEYSNET.COM SATURDAY,DECEMBER 22, 2012 VOLUME 59, NO. 102 ● 25 CENTS COMMERCIAL FISHING Weak crab harvest perplexes By KEVIN WADLOW Ph.D crustacean researcher Keys are a prime source for claws fishers are based in the Keys. forced to lay off staff on its Senior Staff Writer with the Florida Fish and Last season, the Keys pro- production side and raise [email protected] Wildlife Conservation Com- but this year, catch is way down duced nearly 1.1 million dockside prices to keep fish- mission, said Friday. pounds of claws — about 41 ing crews from pulling their A dismal stone-crab sea- “We had indications this claws — the season runs Collier counties account for percent of the 2.67 million traps out of the water early. son that may prove a calami- might not be a stellar year,” he from Oct. 15 to May 15 — more than half the state’s har- pounds caught statewide. Still, harvests of legal-size ty for the Florida Keys com- said. “It looked like nothing to ranks second only to lobster vest of crab claws, despite the This season has turned claws coming into the docks mercial fishing fleet sur- be concerned about. Then once in financial importance to fact that stone crabs can be “bleak,” Keys Fisheries are a small fraction of what prised even crab researchers. the fishing started, the [crab] Monroe County’s commer- found off much of Florida’s General Manager Gary they should be, Graves said. “There are normal dips in population wasn’t there.” cial fishing industry. coast. About a third of the Graves said Tuesday. The the fishery,” Ryan Gandy, a The harvest of stone-crab Typically, Monroe and state’s 1,200 licensed trap Marathon fish house been ● See Crabs, 3A WINDSTORM INSURANCE UP AND IN For FIRM study, devil’s in details Monroe County Commissioner Goal: Prove rates Heather Carruthers, a founding in Florida Keys member of Fair Insurance Rates for Monroe, which will are unfairly high oversee the study. “We hope to know by next November what By LARRY KAHN our risk is.” [email protected] On Dec. 14, Citizens’ gov- erning board agreed to pay for Now that the governing the study after years of FIRM board of Citizens Property lobbying for lower Keys Insurance Corp. has agreed to windstorm rates. The grass- fund a $485,000 Florida roots organization argues that Keys study of windstorm Monroe County property rates, the mechanics of get- owners pay far more into the ting that study done begin. risk pool of the state’s insurer “The whole process should take about 10 months,” said ● See Insurance, 2A LAW ENFORCEMENT Coral Shores Backlogged DUIs High School’s Alberto Anderson let’s a getting attention shot go over Attorney hired joined the staff to specifically Marathon High prosecute people charged defenders Noel specifically to with driving under the influ- Natta (front) ence. As part of that, the lessen the load office will expand efforts to and Cooper educate the populace against Chaplin By RYAN McCARTHY its dangers. Thursday. A 9-0 [email protected] Incoming State Attorney third-quarter Catherine Vogel hasn’t taken run put the The Monroe County State office yet but said she Canes out in Attorney’s Office is set to get worked to secure the hire front and they some relief from the 400 after the nonprofit Monroe backlogged drunk-driving County Coalition approached won, 71-50, on cases it faces. the State Attorney’s Office. the Dolphins’ This week, attorney Nick home floor. Trovato, a former prosecutor, ● See DUIs, 2A Story, 1B Keynoter photo FOOD DRIVE by RYAN McCARTHY LAW ENFORCEMENT Cop suspended in gun theft By KEVIN WADLOW was the second time in three declined to comment publicly After the September bur- Senior Staff Writer years that weapons were on the disciplinary action, glary, Fricke told investiga- [email protected] stolen from Fricke’s patrol agency spokeswoman Becky tors that his 2007 Lincoln car while parked outside his Herrin said. patrol car was securely A veteran Monroe Big Pine Key home. After Fricke’s patrol car locked. An investigator and County Sheriff’s Office ser- All the weapons taken in was burglarized in August locksmith said they found no geant lost his spot on the September — a .40-caliber 2009, the Sheriff’s Office indication the locks or doors agency’s special-response Glock handgun, a .45-caliber adopted a policy in 2010 that were opened by force. unit after losing weapons Glock and a Colt M4 with a prohibits deputies from leav- Lt. Bruce Winegarden and gear from his patrol car. scope — soon were recovered ing guns or other equipment initially recommended a 14- Sgt. Ken Fricke will be after calls were received by in their cars. day suspension for Fricke, suspended for seven work- the Crime Stoppers hotline. Two handguns stolen along with losing his SWAT Photo by DANA CHILD ing days (84 hours) without A Big Pine Key man and a from Fricke’s car in 2009 post. Caputo trimmed the The Stanley Switlik Elementary School Student Council pay and be removed from 17-year-old were arrested on were never recovered. A suspension time. sponsored a canned food drive to benefit Keys Area the Special Weapons and counts of grand theft and deal- missing shotgun later was After six months, Fricke Tactics roster, Chief Lou ing in stolen property, which found by a plumber working will become eligible for the Interdenominational Resources in Marathon, and this is Caputo of the agency’s Law included a bullet-resistant under a porch at the SWAT team again but must the bounty. Seated are Katia Nikiforova, Mary Ryder, Enforcement Bureau con- vest, helmet and ammunition. Eastwind Apartments in try out, Caputo wrote in his Vanessa Martinez and teacher-sponsor Deb Smith while cluded in a Dec. 13 report. Fricke, who joined the Marathon. No arrests were decision. other Student Council members stand in the back. The September burglary Sheriff’s Office in 2005, made in the 2009 theft. INDEX Printed on 100% Classifieds . .8B recycled newsprint Wisteria Living . .3B In L’Attitudes CONTENTS © 2012 logjam Business . .9A KEYNOTER PUBLISHING CO. Sculpture Key West takes One needs to look at the Obituaries . .2A over the Southernmost City, and authors hit past to see how the battle Opinion . .8A Hooked on Books for over Wisteria Island’s Sports/Outdoors . .1B signings. Stories, 4B ownership made it to a courtroom. Story, 5A Crossword . .7B 7786790 22222 2A Saturday, December 22, 2012 KeysNet.com Keynoter NEWS BRIEFS Education is LAW ENFORCEMENT Commissioner reports ripoff part of effort Sheriff-elect Key West City From DUIs, 1A Director Commissioner Clayton Frank names new No. 2 Lopez was ripped off to the “As part of my transi- Sauer, a tune of $278.33, according tion, I want to be sure the retired then-Gov. them could have done a won- to a city police report filed backlog is handled and that Key West Cameron comes Jeb Bush in derful job as undersheriff,” Thursday. we have an attorney that is police to Keys from 2003 to fill Ramsay said. “That makes Lopez told reporting dedicated to DUI prosecu- officer, out the final this harder, but it wasn’t Officer Alexander tion, that’s an expert in said the S.W. Florida year of a about picking a friend.” coalition Rodriguez that someone DUI litigation,” she said. TROVATO term. He “It’s the right decision for used his credit-card informa- The mission of the and By KEVIN WADLOW stayed on as the Sheriff’s Office,” he said. tion from Keys Federal coalition, comprising Guidance Care Center are Senior Staff Writer Charlotte “I hope people can see that.” Credit Union to buy two groups including the each pitching in $25,000 [email protected] County After graduating from Fort construction saws, one for Guidance Care Center, over 10 months for CAMERON undersheriff, Myers High School and Edison $129.99 from www.nor- Monroe County Health Trovato’s salary, while the Experience that Bill then won election in 2008. College, Cameron worked for tool.com on Dec. 19 and the Department and local law State Attorney’s Office is Cameron, Monroe County’s Cameron started a cam- the Lee County Sheriff’s other for $148.34 from enforcement, is “to reduce covering health benefits. next undersheriff, brings to paign for re-election in Office for 17 years, rising to www.build.com on Dec. 15. substance abuse and con- “This grant is renew- the job could not be matched Charlotte County, near Fort the rank of captain. He then Both companies report- sequences among Monroe able by year as long as we locally, says Sheriff-elect Myers, this year but moved to the Charlotte County edly provided the name of County youth and adults.” keep up with deliverables Rick Ramsay. announced in April that he agency to continue his 30-year the person — Roger Guthrie For the DUI and related and renegotiate the grant.