Charges filed in case of monk seal pup death

NOAA’s Office of General Counsel has jointly charged two Oʻahu residents with violating the Marine Mammal Protection Act by causing the unlawful take of a marine mammal in May 2024. The monk seal pup known as PO7, died in May.

In accordance with the Act and NOAA’s Policy for the Assessment of Civil Administrative Penalties and Permit Sanctions, both individuals were jointly assessed a $20,000 civil penalty in the case of an attack by unleashed dogs causing the death of the Hawaiian monk seal pup. 

Under NOAA’s civil procedure regulations, individuals have the right to challenge both the allegations charged and the civil penalty assessed in the Notice of Violation and Assessment, and may request a hearing before an administrative law judge.

One of the individuals is an interpretive technician with the Division of State Parks, according to an update provided by the state Department of Land and Natural Resources. The technician was not on duty at the time of the incident and reportedly notified both DLNR and NOAA of the seal pup death.

Now that the NOAA Office of General Counsel has issued a Notice of Violation, the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement has initiated an investigation into any violations of State laws and administrative rules, or county ordinances.  As this is an open investigation, state officials say they have no further comment.