A 69‑year‑old Kansas resident was nabbed Friday afternoon in the Lower Keys after a marine deputy spotted him snatching live queen conch straight from the water, officials said.
Geoffrey Leigh Blatt of Overland Park, Kansas, was taken into custody around 3 p.m. on Oct. 9 near Mile Marker 40.
Lower Keys Marine Deputy Luis Giuardinu observed Blatt diving and overheard him chatting with another diver. Blatt told the deputy he planned to bring the queen conch home for a pot of conch chowder, authorities reported.
Deputy Giuardinu saw Blatt surface holding two live queen conch in his hands.
In Florida, harvesting or possessing live queen conch is illegal. After the encounter, Blatt was arrested on charges for possessing the protected mollusks and booked at the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.
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