| This study focused upon the reaction of the commercial net fishers who reside in Bayside, Florida to the 1994 Net Ban Statute1. The issue of compliance was investigated from the perspectives of the fishers, law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and elected or appointed officials who reside and work in this microenvironment. Official citation data from the Marine Patrol and disposition data from the courts of all counties within the patrol jurisdiction provided insight into the enforcement and the judicial process specifically in Dolphin County, the county that has jurisdiction over Bayside.; The findings from this study indicate the majority of commercial net-fishers who reside in Bayside continue to poach to make a living for their families. The Marine Patrol officers in charge of enforcing the Net Ban statute in this Dolphin County jurisdiction continue to give citations to violators. The Judge in Dolphin County continues to dismiss the cases of Net Ban violators. This creates a cycle of repeat offenders who do not fear arrest or the judicial system.; The recommendations concerning Net Ban reform generated by this project are uniform. All respondents, including the Marine Patrol officers, suggest that the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission consider regulatory conservation methods other than just limiting net and mesh sizes. Current data from this commission confirms that the mullet population has revived in Florida coastal waters. It has also forced commercial net-fishers to become criminals. Incredibly, the widespread poaching has not significantly damaged the repopulation process. It is anticipated that by changing enforcement policies concerning gear, using sound biological catch documentation to establish quotas, and by regulating the times when fishing is prohibited in an area, the number of arrests and court appearances would decrease.; This unique study utilizes the Integrated Systems approach to analyze compliance to the Net Ban statute in this microenvironment. The relationships and interaction of the marine environment, all respondents, and legal system form the basis for this qualitative research.; 1Due to confidentiality issues, fictitious names were used for cities and countries in this dissertation. |
