‘Cruel and unnecessary deaths': Man sentenced for poisoning, shooting dolphins
Officers return fire, take cover in shooting near University of Akron
According to a May 23 news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Florida, 31-year-old Zackery Barfield's actions, described by authorities as 'intentional and heartless,' violated the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act.
In the summer of 2022, after growing frustrated with the dolphins eating red snapper from the lines of his charter fishing clients, Barfield began placing methomyl, a highly toxic pesticide, inside baitfish, the release states.
'Barfield recognized methomyl's toxicity and impact on the environment but continued to feed poisoned baitfish to the dolphins for months,' the release said.
Additionally, while captaining fishing trips in the winter of 2022 and the summer of 2023, Barfield shot dolphins eating bait from his clients' fishing lines.
'On both occasions, he used a 12-gauge shotgun to shoot the dolphins that surfaced near his vessel, killing one immediately. On other occasions, Barfield shot, but did not immediately kill, dolphins near his vessel,' according to the release.
One incident took place in front of elementary-aged children, and another in front of more than a dozen fisherman.
Barfield was sentenced to 30 days in prison and ordered to pay a $51,000 fine for the 'cruel and unnecessary deaths.' His prison sentence will be followed by a 1-year term of supervised release.
YIKES! Ohio insects so close — your eyes will bug!
'He knew the regulations protecting dolphins, yet he killed them anyway — once in front of children,' Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources Division is quoted in the news release. 'This sentence demonstrates our commitment to enforcing the rule of law. It should deter others from engaging in such conduct.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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