Reward Increases To $54,000 For Information Leading To The Arrests Of The People Responsible For Brutally Killing Multiple Dolphins In Florida

Photos from Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

The National Oceanic And Atmospheric Administration announced yesterday that its Office of Law Enforcement and agency partners are offering a reward of up to $54,000 for information leading to the arrests of the people responsible for the recent deaths of two dolphins in Florida.

As previously reported by WAN, biologists with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission recently discovered a dead dolphin off the coast of Naples, Florida. The animal was fatally wounded from what appeared to be a bullet and or sharp object. Within the same week, Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge experts recovered a dolphin with a bullet wound in the left side of its head along Pensacola Beach, Florida.

Another dolphin with a fatal puncture wound to its head was found dead off Captiva Island, Florida, in May 2019. That investigation is ongoing and also offers a reward for information leading to an arrest.

NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement and its agency partners are offering combined rewards of up to $54,000, ($34,000 from their partners and up to $20,000 from NOAA). They are looking for information leading to the:

1. Successful identification and/or

2. Successful prosecution for the person(s) responsible and/or

3. Arrest, conviction or civil penalty assessment.

Biologists believe these cases may stem from humans feeding wild dolphins. Dolphins fed by people learn to associate people and boats with food, which can put them in harmful situations. Dolphins may suffer fatal impacts from boat strikes, entanglement or ingestion of fishing gear, and acts of intentional harm like these. You can prevent harm: Do Not Feed or Attempt to Feed Wild Dolphins.

Since 2002, at least 29 dolphins, including these, have stranded in the Southeast United States. There is evidence they were shot by guns or arrows or impaled with objects like fishing spears. Four incidents have occurred within the last year.

Harassing, hunting, killing or feeding wild dolphins, or attempting to do these sickening activities is prohibited under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.  Violations can be prosecuted either civilly or criminally. They are punishable by up to $100,000 in fines and up to one year in jail per violation.

NOAA continues to actively enforce these prohibitions. A recent case resulted in NOAA assessing a civil penalty of $1,250 against a Kansas man for feeding a dolphin while in Florida on vacation. That case became final in January. NOAA also works with the Department of Justice to initiate criminal prosecutions for more egregious cases. This includes the 2009 conviction and jail sentence given to a fishing captain for making homemade pipe bombs and throwing them at dolphins.

NOAA officials are seeking information from anyone who may have details about these incidents. Please call the NOAA Law Enforcement Hotline at (800) 853-1964.