A Florida Keys lobster dive that began as a family outing ended with criminal charges, a mandatory court appearance, and nearly $2,000 in financial penalties after wildlife officers found a diver with too many lobster and two that were undersized.
In bodycam footage published by Arrest Cam Fish and Wildlife, an officer approached a group of divers during a resource inspection and asked how many lobster they had collected. One man, later identified in the video as Steven Boer, initially said he believed the group had around 12.
The officer’s count quickly showed otherwise.
By the end of the inspection, the officer counted 14 lobster and found two that did not meet the required size. According to the channel’s closing narration, Boer was charged with possession of undersize crawfish and possession of more than six lobster.
He later hired a criminal defense attorney, pleaded not guilty, and eventually accepted a negotiated no contest plea before trial. Arrest Cam Fish and Wildlife said the final outcome included $838 in costs and fees, along with a $1,000 donation.
A Routine Dive Inspection Turns Serious
The encounter began casually enough.
The officer, who identified himself as being with the sheriff’s office, approached the group while they were diving for lobster and asked to inspect their catch. The divers were cooperative and guided him toward their boat while dealing with a strong current.
One member of the group mentioned that he had only recently become certified for diving. The officer congratulated him and kept the situation relaxed as the group moved toward the boat.
But once the bags of lobster came aboard, the count began to climb.
At one point, the divers appeared unsure whether they had 12 or 13 lobster. The officer counted one bag, then another, eventually reaching 14.
That number alone created a problem.
The officer explained that the legal limit was six lobster per person. Steven later admitted that he had caught most of the catch himself, telling the officer he had taken about 13 of the 14 lobster.
That meant he was not just slightly over the limit. Based on his own statement, he was seven lobster over his personal legal allowance.
The Homemade Gauge Creates Another Problem
The count was not the only issue.
The officer began checking the lobster with an agency-issued measuring device and found that two were undersized. Steven initially believed his own gauge showed the lobster were legal.
He told the officer that a friend had made the gauge in a machine shop and said it was “really close.”
The officer disagreed.
Holding one of the lobster against the official gauge, the officer explained that it slid through rather than meeting the required measurement. Steven argued that the lobster still appeared to be close to three inches, but the officer told him that was not enough.
The exchange is one of the most useful parts of the footage because it shows why homemade measuring tools can create major problems in regulated fishing and diving seasons.
When an officer uses an official gauge and the catch does not pass, arguing that a private gauge is “close” is not likely to help. Size limits are usually exact for a reason, especially when they are designed to protect young or undersized animals before they can reproduce.
Steven eventually acknowledged the issue.
“I know I’m a lawbreaker,” he said during the encounter, adding that he understood he had made mistakes.
“I Was Trying To Get It For The Kids”
As the inspection continued, Steven told the officer that he had been trying to collect lobster for the children with him.
The officer said he understood that the group was out enjoying the water and having a good time, but he also said the situation set a poor example.
“You know you’re not supposed to do that,” the officer told him.
Steven agreed.
“I know,” he said. “I’m trying to just get it for the kids.”
The officer did not accuse him of trying to run a commercial operation or hide the catch. Instead, he treated it as a violation that had grown out of poor judgment and a willingness to stretch the rules.
That does not make the case minor. Florida’s lobster rules are tightly enforced because a few extra catch violations, repeated across thousands of divers, can have a real effect on the resource.
The moment also shows how quickly a recreational outing can become costly when people decide to keep “just one more” lobster or assume a borderline catch is good enough.
Officer Uses Discretion At The Scene
Despite the number of violations, the officer chose not to arrest Steven.
He told another officer that he had considered taking Steven into custody but decided against it because Steven was with his child and other family members.
“I wanted to take him in,” the officer said, “but he’s with his kid and stuff like that, so I’m not going to do that.”
Instead, the officer selected the six largest legal lobster for the group to keep and prepared citations for the violations.
That was a notable act of discretion. Steven still faced serious charges, but he was not taken away in handcuffs in front of the children.
The officer also made sure Steven understood that his signature on the paperwork was not an admission of guilt. Steven joked that everyone already knew he was guilty, then signed the citation.
The tone remained calm, even as the consequences became clearer.
Mandatory Court Date Comes With The Citation
Steven seemed surprised when the officer explained that he could not simply pay a fine and move on.
The citation required a court appearance.
The officer told him he would have to appear before a judge and warned that failing to show up could result in a warrant for his arrest. Steven said he would attend and asked for the date again.
At one point, the officer realized the printed paperwork had the wrong courthouse address and stopped to correct it rather than sending Steven to the wrong location.
That small detail may not sound important, but it shows how serious the citation process had become. This was no longer just a warning at the dock or a quick fine handed out on the water.
The case had entered the court system.
Steven was cited for the two undersized lobster and for exceeding the bag limit. The officer also made clear that the number of lobster Steven personally caught mattered, even though other people were present on the boat.
The Case Ends With A No Contest Plea
According to Arrest Cam Fish and Wildlife, Steven hired a criminal defense lawyer and initially pleaded not guilty.
Before the case went to trial, however, he accepted a negotiated plea deal and entered a no contest plea.
The channel said he was ordered to pay $838 in costs and fees and donate $1,000.
That brought the total financial impact to $1,838, not counting the time spent dealing with the citation, attorney, court process, and the loss of the illegal catch.
For a few extra lobster and two that were too small, the outcome became much more expensive than a family seafood dinner.
That is the larger lesson in the footage. Wildlife rules can look simple from the outside — measure the lobster, count the catch, follow the daily limit — but failing to follow them can turn an ordinary afternoon into a criminal case.
A Catch That Was “Close” Was Not Close Enough
The footage from Arrest Cam Fish and Wildlife is not about a violent arrest or a dramatic chase. It is about how small decisions add up.
Steven did not appear hostile. He admitted mistakes, cooperated with the officer, and accepted that he had exceeded the limit. But his homemade gauge, his decision to keep borderline lobster, and his admission that he caught most of the group’s total left little room for the officer to ignore the violations.
The officer’s decision to let him remain with his family may have softened the immediate outcome, but it did not erase the legal consequences.
For divers and anglers, the case offers a straightforward warning: use an official measuring gauge, know your individual catch limit, and do not assume a catch is legal because it looks close enough.
In the Florida Keys, “close” can become a citation, a court date, and thousands of dollars gone.
Gary’s love for adventure and preparedness stems from his background as a former Army medic. Having served in remote locations around the world, he knows the importance of being ready for any situation, whether in the wilderness or urban environments. Gary’s practical medical expertise blends with his passion for outdoor survival, making him an expert in both emergency medical care and rugged, off-the-grid living. He writes to equip readers with the skills needed to stay safe and resilient in any scenario.
