PANAMA CITY, Florida — A Florida constitution boat captain is headed to jail for poisoning and capturing dolphins.
The Division of Justice introduced that Zackery Brandon Barfield, 31, of Panama Metropolis, was sentenced to 30 days in jail and ordered to pay a $51,000 effective for 3 counts of poisoning and capturing dolphins.
Barfield’s acts violated the Marine Mammal Safety Act and the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act.
The DOJ mentioned that from 2022-2023, Barfield poisoned and shot bottlenose dolphins on a number of events after he grew pissed off with them consuming pink snapper from the traces of his constitution fishing shoppers.
“He started putting methomyl inside baitfish to poison the dolphins that surfaced close to his boat. Methomyl is a extremely poisonous pesticide that acts on the nervous system of people, mammals, and different animals, and is restricted by the Environmental Safety Company (EPA) to manage flies in non-residential settings. Barfield acknowledged methomyl’s toxicity and affect on the surroundings, however continued to feed poisoned baitfish to the dolphins for months,” the DOJ mentioned in a information launch.
Prosecutors mentioned that whereas captaining fishing journeys in December 2022 and the summer time of 2023, Barfield noticed dolphins consuming snapper from his shopper’s fishing traces.
“On each events, he used a 12-gauge shotgun to shoot the dolphins that surfaced close to his vessel, killing one instantly,” the DOJ mentioned. “On different events, Barfield shot, however didn’t instantly kill, dolphins close to his vessel. On one journey, he shot a dolphin whereas two elementary-aged youngsters had been on board, and one other with greater than a dozen fishermen on board.”
NOAA Fisheries mentioned that primarily based on proof through the investigation, Barfield fed an estimated 24-70 dolphins poison-laden baitfish on constitution journeys that he captained.
Wednesday’s sentencing follows his responsible plea to a few counts on Feb. 12.
Barfield’s jail sentence can be adopted by a one-year time period of supervised launch.
NOAA Fisheries mentioned from 2014 to 2024, there have been 21 identified intentional dolphin fatalities from gunshot wounds, arrows, explosives and different sharp objects. Analysis cited through the trial signifies that gunshot wounds to marine mammals are severely underestimated.
In case you are conscious of a violation of federal marine useful resource legal guidelines or federal pesticide legal guidelines, you might be urged to contact NOAA Enforcement Hotline at (800) 853-1964 or EPA’s Nationwide Response Middle at (800) 424-8802.
The-CNN-Wire & 2025 Cable Information Community, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Firm. All rights reserved.
