At a Glance
- Case Type
- Regulatory Action
- Jurisdiction
- Hawaii
- Date
- 2024-06-11
- Status
- Pending
- Amount
- $20,000
Federal officials announced June 20, 2024, that they had fined two Hawaii residents $20,000 for their alleged roles in the fatal mauling of a female Hawaiian monk seal pup by unleashed dogs, according to the Washington Post [1]. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Office of General Counsel issued the fine on June 11 [2]. A NOAA Fisheries spokesperson, Stefanie Gutierrez, said further details were unavailable because "enforcement proceedings were ongoing," and confirmed the two individuals were fined $20,000 jointly [2].
A necropsy by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration found the pup, known as PO7, suffered puncture wounds consistent with dog bites and hemorrhaging consistent with being shaken by a dog [2]. The pup was born to a seal known as RN58, or Luana, and was seen with her mother for the first time on May 23 on Oahu's North Shore, with a dog attack reported that same evening [2]. Authorities did not say how the accused were allegedly connected to the unleashed dogs [2].
The Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources confirmed that one of the two individuals fined was an off-duty state parks employee who reported the pup's death to her agency, and that the department had initiated its own investigation into potential violations of state and county laws [2]. Those fined retain the right to challenge the penalty and request a hearing before an administrative law judge [2].
The incident carries weight well beyond the fine itself. Hawaiian monk seals are protected under the Endangered Species Act, the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and State of Hawaii law [3]. The Hawaiian monk seal is a critically endangered species, with only 1,600 remaining in the wild [1][2]. Conservation officials noted that the death of a breeding-age female compounds that pressure. The loss of a female is a particularly consequential blow to recovery efforts because she could have grown up to produce pups of her own [1].
The NOAA action underscores federal regulators' continued use of administrative penalties to enforce wildlife protection statutes in Hawaii. Violations of the applicable federal statutes can result in federal criminal charges up to $50,000 and imprisonment [4], making the $20,000 civil fine a measure short of the maximum available sanction. The parallel state investigation, still underway at the time of the federal announcement, leaves open the possibility of additional liability under Hawaii law.
References
[1] The Washington Post. (2024, June 20). Hawaii residents fined $20K after Hawaiian monk seal pup mauled by unleashed dogs. https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/2024/06/20/hawaiian-monk-seal-death-unleashed-dogs-mauling/fd90de36-2f7d-11ef-bcdf-31cdebd3022f_story.html
[2] The Associated Press via nvdaily.com. (2024, June 21). Hawaii residents fined $20K after Hawaiian monk seal pup mauled by unleashed dogs. https://www.nvdaily.com/associated_press_national/hawaii-residents-fined-20k-after-hawaiian-monk-seal-pup-mauled-by-unleashed-dogs/article_4f33f564-c1a8-51e9-9680-b5555729b203.html
[3] NOAA Fisheries. (n.d.). Hawaiian Monk Seal. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/hawaiian-monk-seal
[4] Hawaii Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation, Department of Land and Natural Resources. (n.d.). Protecting Marine Species. https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/dobor/protecting-marine-species/