Overview

• Zackery Brandon Barfield, a 31-year-old charter fishing captain, admitted to shooting at least five dolphins and poisoning dozens more using methomyl, a highly toxic pesticide.
• Barfield's actions, which occurred in 2022 and 2023, were motivated by frustration over dolphins eating fish from his clients' lines during charter trips in the Gulf of Mexico.
• One incident involved Barfield shooting dolphins in front of elementary school-aged children, while another took place with over a dozen fishermen present on his boat.
• The U.S. Attorney's Office confirmed Barfield violated the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act with his actions.
• In addition to his prison sentence and fine, Barfield will serve one year of supervised release, with the investigation initiated after a tip received by NOAA in 2023.