Dear Editor,
National Marine Fisheries Service’s suspension of Steve McCulloch for placing a stranded dolphin in nearby Sea [Oaks] resort pool by is uncharacteristically harsh. What is not reported to date is whether Sea [Oaks] permitted the temporary holding of the dolphin which would absolve Steve. While the disease transmission issue is real, it is minimal and was likely taken into account by Sea [Oaks] who was not alone in the many times marine mammals have been temporarily held in private pools.
NMFS has historically been an impediment to rescuing stranded dolphins and whales who come to our beaches for help. Marine mammals strand because they are weak from disease, old age, human impact injuries, lost mothers, starvation and dehydration. They seek shallow water and beaches to be able to breathe and not drown, no different than land mammals. Breathing is essential!
As lead rescuer and founder of Marine Mammal Conservancy in Key Largo I know how NMFS has literally interfered with rescues by qualified rescuers. Steve is rare with his decades of experience, success and dedication in his abilities as both a first responder and rehabilitator.
The so-called stranding “network” has been perennially mismanaged. Steve is the only bright spot on the East coast and therefore the only hope that federally protected marine mammals have any hope of rescue/release.
NMFS just allowed over 50 pilot whales including very viable juveniles and sub adults to die preventable drowning deaths, starvation deaths and dehydration deaths in a bungled operation in southwest Florida in January.
I hope Mr. Crabtree (who only required a Key Largo handler videotaped manhandling and abusing a baby dolphin for not nursing on a strange nippled bottle to take a “handling course” of unknown content) has made an over correction with Steve’s efforts to at least show up and humanely try. I hope Mr. Crabtree will also find his own regional stranding coordinator equally, if not in more “egregious violation” for the bungled non efforts with those pilot whales. Those marine mammals only needed food and water to be recovered and released! No morbilli virus was found in them… only empty stomachs!
Unless of course the real object of the drill of this so-called stranding network is just to keep marine mammal debris and smell off of tourist beaches which is maybe why, curiously, NMFS is part of the U.S. Dept. of Commerce?!?!?
Signed,
Rick Trout, lead rescuer/founder MMC Key Largo 1995-2005
Tavernier, Fla.
