A tourist fed pelicans in Key West. His response to state wildlife officers sent him to jail.

Within the Florida Keys, regulation enforcement takes unlawful fishing — and unlawful wildlife feeding — very severely.

The island chain is a spot the place you will get jail time for taking undersized snapper or out-of-season spiny lobster.

Feeding a pelican may also have authorized penalties.

One vacationer realized this the exhausting approach final week.

Dominick E. Ciletti Jr., 57, of Alpharetta, Georgia, landed in jail after throwing dolphinfish scraps at pelicans that had been hanging round a cleansing station at a Key West marina as he filleted the mahi-mahi, based on the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Fee.

Ciletti was on the metropolis marina, 1801 N. Roosevelt Blvd., on April 23, when FWC officers mentioned they noticed him and one other man throwing fish to pelicans — an unlawful act in Florida.

State wildlife officers mentioned they tried to provide him a notice-to-appear quotation, which might have required him to indicate up on the Monroe County Courthouse in Might.

However issues escalated when Ciletti grew to become belligerent and raised his voice, FWC mentioned.

“I’m not coming again right here to go to court docket, that’s bull—-!” Ciletti mentioned, based on the arrest report.

Refusing to just accept a quotation is a misdemeanor.

An FWC officer put Ciletti in handcuffs and took him to the county jail on Inventory Island. Ciletti was launched the identical day after posting a $328 money bond.

Efforts to succeed in Ciletti had been unsuccessful. His legal professional listed in court docket data didn’t instantly reply to an e-mail Friday night.

Ciletti is due in court docket Might 11 earlier than Monroe County Choose Mark Wilson.

The opposite man FWC mentioned was tossing fish to the pelicans, a constitution boat mate, signed his quotation with out incident.

A press launch from FWC mentioned the 2 males had been throwing entire dolphinfish carcasses and smaller items to the pelicans, however didn’t specify who threw what.

Feeding pelicans is against the law as a result of it may possibly trigger them severe hurt.

Fish carcasses and sharp bones can injure or kill them by puncturing their throats, or get lodged of their pouches, based on FWC, which asks folks to toss undesirable fish into trash cans with lids.

Pelicans additionally are inclined to congregate the place folks feed them, and that places them in locations the place they’re extra more likely to get tousled in fishing line or hooked.