fish_defender

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Confiscated illegal catches in the Florida Keys (Monroe County, 2024 and 2025) In May, Ron DeSantis signed the Florida Boater Freedom Act into law, forbidding routine inspections, from which many of these busts were made. The vast majority of saltwater fish poaching incidents are not caught. Thanks to the Florida government, many more poachers will now get away. #Poaching #WildlifeTrafficking #FloridaKeys #FishAreWildlife

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The legends are true. Mantas live among us. We must protect their habitat from fishing and end their capture from the wild for aquaria. #MantaRay #MiamiBeach #FishAreWildlife

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Public records reveal thousands of sharks and rays are being legally taken from the wild into captivity under the Florida Wildlife Commission (FWC) 'Special Activity License', including many with protections under Florida law, the ESA, or CITES. >2/3 of sharks and rays permitted for capture in the past decade were redlisted, including critically endangered species like hammerheads, oceanic whitetips, and bentfin devil rays. The top-targeted species was the cownose ray, a social pelagic migrator captured in huge numbers for the exploding demand for touch tanks. Corporations stocking tanks with wild-captured threatened sharks and rays include highly accredited aquaria. 95% of third-party contract licenses named Dynasty Marine - the corporation filmed capturing a manta in July. This investigation is ongoing and these figures do not include hundreds of other marine species licensed in capture permits. Future work will document them, as well as the actual numbers reportedly captured. For the next two days, a public comment period is open on this program. Leave yours now at the link in bio and show up to the FWC online meeting tonight — Thursday, Dec. 18th at 6PM EST, where revisions to the SAL program are on the agenda. End the #PermitPipeline to captivity for marine wildlife #GeorgiaAquarium #FloridaAquarium #Hammerhead #MantaRay