A video of a group of boaters dumping trash into the ocean off Boca Raton over the weekend has sparked a formal investigation by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
The video was posted on YouTube by Wavy Boats, which takes videos of boats riding through rough inlet waters. In the clip, two people on the boat, named "Halcyon," are seen grabbing two large filled trash bins and dumping the contents overboard. The boat is then seen driving away while all the trash is left floating in the wake.
The incident took place on Sunday as the boaters left Boca Bash - an annual event that draws thousands of boaters, most of whom are there to party.
Boaters Could Face Jail Time, Fine Over the 'Illegal Dumping'
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission said in a statement Monday that they were notified of the "illegal dumping of trash" and are actively investigating the incident. If the boaters are found to be tossing trash into the ocean, multiple charges could be filed against the people involved, as well as the owner of the vessel.
According to Florida's Litter Law, if someone illegally dumps more than 15 pounds of waste into a waterway, they could be guilty of a first-degree misdemeanor, which is punishable by up to one year in jail, a $1,000 fine, and/or one year of probation.
Boca Bash Says it Has Identified the Boaters
In a statement, Boca Bash said it has identified the group on the boat that dumped the garbage into the ocean and called the actions on the video "egregious" and "completely unacceptable." They added that "it is unresponsible boaters like this that have zero care for our oceans that give this event a bad reputation."
Boca Bash did not release the name or identities of the boaters on video who dumped the trash, nor the owner of the vessel.
