May State Exercise Jurisdiction Over Acts Committed Outside the State's Territorial Waters ?

In Mounier v. State, 178 So. 2d 714 (Fla. 1965), the statute at issue criminalized spear-fishing in the waters of Monroe County, Florida. Id. at 714-15. The defendant allegedly committed the offense outside Monroe County, Florida and we found that the alleged crime was not committed within the reach of the criminal statute. See id. at 716. The court specifically declined to reach the question of whether the statute also could have criminalized acts committed outside the State's territorial waters. See id.; see also State v. Hill, 372 So. 2d 84, 85 (Fla. 1979) (declining to reach question of whether statute could criminalize conduct occurring outside territorial jurisdiction of State where the defendant's actions clearly occurred within Florida waters). Thus, Mouiner is not instructive in answering the question of. The stated purpose of section 910.006 as set forth in the legislative findings and intent is as follows: (1) LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT.-- (a) the State of Florida is a major center for international travel and trade by sea. (b) the state has an interest in ensuring the protection of persons traveling to or from Florida by sea. (c) the state has an interest in cooperating with the masters of ships and the governments of the United States and the other states in the maintenance of law and order on board ship. (d) the interests of the state do not in principle require a general assertion of primary jurisdiction over acts or omissions at sea that would duplicate or conflict with the execution of any law enforcement responsibility of any other jurisdiction. (e) the State of Florida should establish special maritime criminal jurisdiction extending to acts or omissions on board ships outside of the state under the circumstances delimited in this section. 910.006(1).