DAYTONA, Fla. — A South Daytona man faces misdemeanor and felony charges after police said he stole from commercial crab traps.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission(FWC) arrested 33-year-old Eliot Avelar and charged him with theft of a commercial blue crab trap, a third-degree felony, and possession of stone crabs in whole condition, a second-degree misdemeanor.
Avelar is accused of taking stone crabs from blue crab traps belonging to a permitted commercial fisherman that were set in the Intracoastal Waterway between the Orange Avenue and Dunlawton bridges in Daytona Beach, according to officials.
FWC said it received a call about a man in a truck hauling a boat and leaving the boat ramp on April 21 around 7:30 p.m. Officials said the caller stated that the man appeared to have stone crabs in whole condition with him.
The witness provided the truck's license plate number, which came back registered to Avelar, according to officials.
When officers arrived at Avelar's home they said the boat was being cleaned by two men. Officers said one of the men cleaning on top of the boat jumped off and fled.
According to FWC, it is legal to harvest stone crab claws, but not the whole crab. By removing just the legal claws and returning the crab to the water, it can continue to reproduce and help keep the fishery alive, the agency said. FWC was able to return the live stone crabs to the water.
Robbing from, removing or pulling up blue or stone crab traps is illegal. If convicted, violators face penalties of up to five years in prison and up to a $5,000 fine.
So far, the FWC has been unable to identify or locate the second man, who is described as Hispanic and in his 20s, wearing a blue shirt and light-colored shorts.
Officers said Avelar called him Miguel. Anyone with information about this man is asked to call the FWC's Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-3922.
WFTV
