NOAA backtracks on alleged sea lion decapitation at Central California beach
By Tim Fang
Federal authorities have issued an update regarding the reported decapitation of a sea lion at a Monterey County beach, clarifying that “no marine mammal parts were removed from the beach.”
The NOAA Fisheries’ Office of Law Enforcement released a statement Monday about the incident, which they said took place at Point Pinos Beach in Pacific Grove on July 27.
Officials said at the time a man was seen using a hunting knife to remove the head of the sea lion before placing the head in a bag and leaving the scene in a SUV. The office also posted a picture of a suspect and announced a $20,000 reward.
NOAA officials now say no mammal parts were taken and removed the photo.
“The individual has been located, and it was determined that no marine mammal parts were removed from the beach. We thank the public for their help and concern in this matter,” the agency said in its update.
Jason Bietz of Hanford, who said he was the man in the photo, told the Los Angeles Times that he reached out to NOAA investigators on Monday to clear his name. Bietz told the newspaper that he did not decapitate the animal.
Rashelle Diaz of Monterey, who reported the incident to authorities, told the Times that he had confronted Bietz and his daughter, saying she saw him leaning over the animal and prodding it with a knife.
Bietz also denied accusations that he was carrying a knife on the beach.
CBS News Bay Area reached out to the NOAA spokesperson, who was unavailable for comment due to the ongoing government shutdown.
According to the agency, harassing, harming, killing or feeding sea lions is prohibited under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, along with collecting parts of protected marine mammal species. Civil prosecution may result of fines up to $36,498 per violation, while criminal violations are punishable up to a year in jail and a $100,000 in fines.
