Back when I was crabbing in the local bay, the “sea wolves” used outboard boats and were either locals or stationed at the nearby Naval base with scuba gear. Lost thousands of $$ a week and had to stop fishing in the local bay.
What state?
In Florida it $2500 fine last I knew to even mess with someone’s crab trap.
They was an incident here about ten years ago where a tourist from out of state was observed on his PWC pulling up a float with a crab trap attached to show it to others and a Florida Fish and Wildlife office witnessed it.
Cost the tourist $2500. Went to court and he claimed he didn’t know about the law, which was true, but that excuse doesn’t ever work. Still had to pay...............
I confess that when my submarine was in dry dock in Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, which is on the Portsmouth, NH and Kittery, ME border, I would scuba dive off the barge we operated out of while in dry dock and steal lobsters for our surf and turf parties off base on Friday evenings at one of the cook’s house. He would bring a sea bag stuffed with rib eye steaks and I would bring a sea bag stuffed with lobsters and ice. Others brought booze and appetizers, etc. We did that at least 10 times while we were there. I was young and careless. I knew one could get shot for stealing lobsters. Figured they had to see me first.