A 37-year-old Seattle man was identified after a reported monk seal harassment case along the Lahaina shoreline.
LAHAINA, Hawaii — Hawaii land officials are investigating Instagram posts that appear to show a Seattle man throwing an object toward a Hawaiian monk seal off the Lahaina shoreline, according to the Department of Land and Natural Resources.
The department said the Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement’s Maui Branch was notified by Maui police dispatch Tuesday about a reported case of monk seal harassment.
A DOCARE officer contacted the person who reported the incident while heading to the scene and received a description of the person involved.
When the officer arrived, they contacted a 37-year-old man from Seattle who matched that description, according to DLNR.
The man was detained, identified and advised of his legal rights. DLNR said he declined to make a statement and requested an attorney.
No criminal charges have been filed, and DOCARE said it is not releasing the man’s name.
The agency said the state investigation will be turned over to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of Law Enforcement for further review and possible action under the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act.
Hawaiian monk seals are protected under the federal Endangered Species Act, the Marine Mammal Protection Act and state law. It is illegal to disturb, harass, feed or harm a monk seal. Violations can lead to fines or criminal penalties.
Anyone who witnesses a possible violation involving a marine animal in Hawaii is asked to report it to NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement at 800-853-1964.
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