Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers arrested a Florida Keys commercial fisherman on animal cruelty charges after a video surfaced of the fisherman tearing apart a live octopus and another fisherman slamming a shark against the back of the boat.
As of Monday, no one had been arrested in the shark incident. But FWC spokesman Jason Rafter said Monday there are more arrests pending.
FWC officers last week arrested Charles Mora, 30, on a charge of felony conservation violation of causing the cruel death, pain and suffering of an animal, according to the FWC. If convicted, he faces a $10,000 fine and the possibility of undergoing anger management classes, according to state statute.
The arrest comes several weeks after PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) released a video of the incident to the public and the media. PETA also staged a protest at Joe’s Stone Crab restaurant in Miami, which is the parent company that owns Keys Fisheries. The video shows him ripping the mantle — which houses the hearts and other organs — off a live octopus. He was caught doing the same to other octopuses, according to PETA.
“Octopuses feel agonizing pain when they’re ripped apart, and Florida law prohibits such abuse, just as it prohibits mutilating a dog or cat,” PETA Foundation General Counsel for Animal Law Jared Goodman said in a press release. “Sensitive animals endure hideous deaths in the fishing industry every day, and PETA urges diners to go vegan and leave all sea life off the table.”
Octopuses use tools, pass their personality traits on to their offspring, and cuddle with one another, according to the PETA press release. In the fishing industry, hundreds of thousands of octopuses and other “non-target” species are caught or become entangled in fishing nets — like those targeting tuna or shrimp — and are then discarded and left to die, PETA stated in a press release.
PETA’s footage was recorded on a vessel that supplied Keys Fisheries — the largest seller of stone crabs in Florida. The group has also filed a complaint with the FWC seeking a criminal investigation into the shark cruelty allegations after filming another worker on the same fishing vessel slamming a shark against the back of the boat and appearing to carve out chunks of the animal’s flesh, according to PETA’s press release.
The incidents occurred Nov. 19, 2021 on a commercial fishing trip off Marathon. Prior to the fishing trip, a woman approached a boat crew out of Keys Fisheries, saying she was curious about the business and wanted to come along on a fishing trip, according to the FWC arrest report. The crew agreed to allow the woman to come on a fishing trip on Nov. 19. During the trip, she recorded Mora “reaching inside a trap and removing an octopus,” the FWC arrest report stated.
“Mora grabbed the octopus and while using a violent and ripping motion removed the head and guts,” the FWC arrest report stated. Mora then throws the octopus into a dark-colored bin. The octopus is still alive and moving in the bin with guts and head removed. Mr. Mora went about his way [and] continued work.”
The FWC report also stated Mora was arrested on battery charges in 2018 and is currently on felony probation for driving under the influence.
Mora’s attorney, Hal Shuchmacher, declined to comment on the case. The owner of Joe’s Stone Crab supported the arrest and called for the harshest criminal penalties if the fishermen is found guilty.
“My grandfather helped write and lobby for the laws to which our fisherman are required to adhere,” said Stephen Sawitz, an owner of Joe’s Stone Crab. “These laws mandate we take the best care possible of the animals and ensure our industry is sustainable. What these hired hands did is an affront to the industry and my grandfather’s legacy. People who treat animals like that deserve the harshest penalties possible. I sincerely hope that this arrest sends the message that actions like these will not be tolerated.”
Florida Keys Commercial Fishermen’s Association Executive Director Bill Kelly condemned Mora’s behavior.
“Properly handling bycatch is the issue here, because there is bycatch in any and every fishery. For an industry that prides itself on sustainability and responsible harvesting methods, it is disturbing to see this kind of activity, and I can assure you this is not standard practice,” Kelly said.