A tourist was in the Keys for lobster miniseason. He poached something more precious, police say
A visitor to the Florida Keys stole large pieces of federally protected coral from local waters during his stay in Key Largo, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Christopher Curlee, of Fayetteville, North Carolina, was issued a notice to appear in court for violating the Endangered Species Act after Fish and Wildlife officers said they caught him in possession of staghorn coral.
Curlee told officers he came to the Keys for the two-day lobster miniseason, which ends Thursday night, said FWC spokesman Officer Bobby Dube.
Curlee could not be reached for comment Thursday.
FWC investigators were tipped off that someone had coral out on a balcony at the Landings of Largo condominium complex.
It had been put outside to dry out, Dube said in a news release.
This species is an Endangered Species Act-protected coral, making it a crime to possess.
Staghorn coral can form dense groups called “thickets” in very shallow water, according to the National Marine Fisheries Service.
The coral provides an important habitat for other reef animals, especially fish.
FWC said the coral found on the Key Largo balcony was taken in for genetic testing.
The Coral Trafficking Task Force should be able to determine which specific reef the staghorn coral came from, Dube said.
The task force is a partnership between the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and Florida International University.
Photos of the specimens found in Curlee’s possession were sent to the task force, which identified the coral as staghorn coral, or Acropora Cervicornis.
This story was originally published July 30, 2020 at 3:55 PM.
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