Florida charter boat captain Zackery Brandon Barfield will serve prison time for his shocking campaign of violence against dolphins, including shooting them with shotguns and poisoning them with tainted bait in front of passengers and children.
At a Glance
- Barfield was sentenced to one month in prison for killing and poisoning dolphins that interfered with his fishing charters
- He shot at least five bottlenose dolphins with a shotgun and poisoned between 24-70 others with insecticide-laced bait
- The violations occurred during 2022-2023 charter trips, sometimes in front of children
- Barfield was fined $51,000 and received one year of supervised release after his prison term
- The case highlights ongoing tensions between fishermen and dolphins along Florida’s coast
Violent Acts Against Protected Marine Life
Zackery Brandon Barfield, a Panama City charter boat captain, has been sentenced to one month in prison after pleading guilty to multiple counts of illegal marine mammal taking. Court documents reveal Barfield admitted to shooting five bottlenose dolphins with a 12-gauge Remington Wingmaster shotgun during fishing expeditions in 2022 and 2023. The violence was triggered by what Barfield described as frustration over dolphins “stealing” fish from his paying customers’ lines, a common source of tension for commercial fishermen in Gulf waters.
The investigation began in 2023 after the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) received a tip about a fisherman killing dolphins. Authorities discovered that beyond the shootings, Barfield had engaged in a systematic poisoning campaign, feeding insecticide-laced bait to dozens of dolphins. He specifically used methomyl, a highly toxic pesticide known to attack the nervous systems of mammals. The captain’s actions resulted in the death of at least one dolphin, while many others showed signs of severe illness after consuming the tainted bait.
Crimes Committed in Front of Witnesses
Perhaps most disturbing was Barfield’s brazen disregard for witnesses, including children who were aboard his vessel during these illegal acts. Federal prosecutors emphasized that the captain showed no hesitation in committing these violations in plain view of passengers who had paid for fishing excursions. Over six to seven charter trips, Barfield distributed poison-laden baitfish to an estimated 24-70 dolphins, creating a pattern of deliberate harm to these federally protected marine mammals.
“He knew the regulations protecting dolphins, yet he killed them anyway — once in front of children,” said Adam Gustafson.
Investigators from NOAA documented that Barfield “stated he was ‘frustrated with dolphins “stealing” his catch.'” This frustration led to a calculated response that violated multiple federal protections. The captain’s actions weren’t impulsive but showed a pattern of deliberate targeting of dolphins that approached his vessel. He carried both the shotgun and contaminated bait specifically to use against the animals when they appeared near his charter boat.
Legal Consequences and Broader Context
Magistrate Judge Michael J. Frank sentenced Barfield to one month in prison for each of three counts, to be served concurrently, along with a substantial financial penalty of $51,000. Following his incarceration, Barfield will serve one year of supervised release. The charges stemmed from violations of both the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act, highlighting the multiple legal frameworks protecting marine wildlife from such abuse.
“24–70 dolphins poison-laden baitfish on charter trips that he captained,” according to NOAA Fisheries in their statement on the case.
This case is not isolated but part of a concerning trend along the southeast coast of the United States. According to NOAA data, at least 21 dolphins have been killed by various means from 2014 to 2024, reflecting ongoing tensions between anglers and marine mammals. The sentencing sends a clear message about the serious consequences for harming protected species, regardless of commercial interests or personal frustration. Federal authorities continue to monitor similar situations as part of broader conservation efforts to maintain the health of marine mammal populations in American waters.
