MONROE COUNTY, Fla — Two commercial fishermen in the Florida Keys were arrested on felony charges after the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals released a video appearing to show the abuse of two animals.
The video was initially posted as part of a PETA Investigates campaign against the consumption of stone crab claws.
PETA says the video shows fisherman Michael Bossert holding a live nurse shark by the tail and slamming it into the edge of a boat twice. He then apparently starts carving chunks off of the animal to use for bait, Jared Goodman, PETA deputy general counsel, said.
According to PETA, another clip shows a living octopus appear to be ripped apart by fisherman Charles Mora. The animal is then thrown into a bin, still writhing around, still living, according to PETA Investigates.
The two animals were bycatch or unwanted marine life that is caught during commercial fishing for a different species.
"Scientific evidence shows that these species feel pain, and they're intelligent," Goodman said. "So we called on local law enforcement to enforce the cruelty to animals law. Fortunately, the did take the complaint very seriously and acted swiftly."
In Florida, it's illegal to inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on an animal.
Mora, 30, was arrested June 1 by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers, according to Monroe County Sheriff's Office public arrest records.
Michael Bossert, 52, turned himself into authorities in Holmes County at the end of May, according to the Miami Herald.
Both men face a third-degree felony animal cruelty charge.
The two fishermen were aboard the Booga Man boat, which supplies seafood to Keys Fisheries, Florida's largest seller of stone crabs, according to a report by FL Keys News. They were fishing for stone crabs.
The person who captured the video expressed interest to the crew in learning about the stone crab industry, Goodman said. The intended focus was not on bycatch, yet she was able to openly record and capture footage of the crew members' alleged misconduct.
"The crew welcomed her aboard," he said. "It was just somebody expressing interest in learning about the industry. It really just goes to show you how this disturbing misconduct is likely so common, that people knowing they're filmed still would not hesitate to engage in this awful mutilation and abuse."
Goodman and the PETA organization both call on people to stop killing animals.
"We know that these animals, whether the crabs who are intended to be caught or the animals who are caught by bycatch, they feel pain and they suffer just like we do," he said. "The best thing that we can do for crabs or any of these animals is to leave them off our plates by going vegan."
Miami Herald reports Mora is scheduled to appear before a Monroe County Circuit Court judge on June 20. It is not currently known when Bossert's scheduled first court appearance will be.
