ISLAMORADA, Fla. – Video posted to social media shows a tourist in the Florida Keys grabbing a tarpon from the water and putting his arm in its gills. In seconds, the large fish is seen flopping and bleeding before being released.
“It ended up tearing the gills of the fish, caused a lot of damage to the fish and ultimately harmed it,” said Monroe County Assistant State Attorney Trey Evans.
The video was posted in October and shows the crowd of spectators watching at Robbie’s Marina in Islamorada, a popular spot where guests are allowed to purchase bait and hand-feed the tarpon from the dock.
“Horrible. Despicable. Robbie’s does not condone any of that,” said Billy Williams, Robbie’s marina director.
The video soon got into the hands of Florida Fish and Wildlife officers, who identified the offender as Nathan Williams from Oklahoma.
Monroe County prosecutors have issued a warrant for his arrest.
“Resource cases are vitally important to the Keys,’ Evans said. “We have so many people here who make their living on these fish, on these wildlife, so we take them very seriously.”
According to the warrant, Williams has a following on social media and YouTube, where videos show him grabbing catfish in a similar fashion known as “noodling.” Noodling is a way to catch catfish with bare hands.
According to FWC, a person cannot harvest or unnecessary destroy a tarpon, or remove a tarpon larger than 40 inches from the water except for the purpose of submitting it for a record.
Williams reportedly told FWC officer Chris Mattson he “didn’t mean to rip the gills” and he “admitted he used bad judgment.”
Williams faces six misdemeanor charges including harvesting or unnecessarily destroying tarpon, and not having proper permission to fish for tarpon.
“When you come down here you need to know the laws,” Evans said. “We’re going to make sure everybody follows them no matter who you are.”