Keys Resident Arrested Following Video‑Recorded Crab Trap Clash
A commercial fisherman in Big Pine Key, Florida, was charged with felony theft after a video captured him attempting to remove a stone crab trap on the Newfound Harbor Channel. The incident occurred in the Lower Keys on April 28, 2026, and was recorded by the fisherman’s own camera. Investigators reported that John Eric Madocks, 68, of Big Pine Key, claimed he was authorized to retrieve traps and possessed the required paperwork. He later admitted to taking the trap but argued a mix‑up of trap numbers, expressing no remorse.
The fisherman’s Facebook post, in which he identified himself with the statement, “I hate to say it but that is me,” was noted by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Authorities filed a petition accusing him of molesting a commercial stone crab trap. The case has been sent to the county prosecutor for further action.