Zackery Brandon Barfield, a 31-year-old commercial and charter fishing captain from Panama City, has been sentenced to 30 days in federal prison and fined $51,000 for illegally shooting and poisoning bottlenose dolphins in the Gulf of Mexico. The sentencing, announced on May 23, 2025, by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, follows Barfield’s conviction on three counts of violating the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act.
According to court documents, Barfield’s actions stemmed from frustration over dolphins stealing red snapper from his clients’ fishing lines. In response, between 2022 and 2023, he resorted to feeding the dolphins baitfish laced with methomyl—a highly toxic pesticide—and shooting them with a 12-gauge shotgun. Investigators confirmed that at least one dolphin died from gunshot wounds, and Barfield admitted to poisoning between 24 and 70 dolphins over multiple fishing trips.
“Barfield was a longtime charter and commercial fishing captain,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “He knew the regulations protecting dolphins, yet he killed them anyway — once in front of children. This sentence demonstrates our commitment to enforcing the rule of law. It should deter others from engaging in such conduct.”
The investigation, led by NOAA Fisheries’ Office of Law Enforcement in coordination with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, began after a tip in 2023 alerted authorities to Barfield’s activities. Evidence collected included the shotgun used in the shootings and a container of methomyl. One of the shootings occurred in the presence of multiple witnesses, including children.
Acting U.S. Attorney Michelle Spaven condemned Barfield’s actions, stating, “The defendant’s selfish acts are more than illegally poisoning and shooting protected animals—they are serious crimes against public resources, threats to the local ecosystem, and a devastating harm to a highly intelligent and charismatic species.”
Under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, it is illegal to harass, harm, or kill wild dolphins. Violations can result in fines up to \$100,000 and imprisonment for up to one year per offense. Barfield’s sentence also includes one year of supervised release following his incarceration.
NOAA Fisheries emphasized the broader issue of human interactions with dolphins, noting that feeding wild dolphins can lead them to associate humans with food, increasing the likelihood of harmful encounters. The agency continues to educate the public and enforce regulations to protect marine life.
Barfield is scheduled to begin serving his sentence later this summer.
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