Arrest Made in Balloon Littering Investigation at Coconut Grove Marina – NBC 6 South Florida

A person has been arrested after cellphone video captured what seemed to be a number of boaters popping balloons and letting the trash fall into the water close to a Coconut Grove marina on Tuesday.

The video posted by MMG Outboard Division, a gaggle who says they "satisfaction ourselves on protecting and spreading consciousness on the beautiful waters we get to name home," was shot just after 4 p.m. at Bayshore Touchdown Marina.

Two folks onboard the boat are seen popping balloons and letting them fall into the water.

"As we passed them and expressed our disagreement, we had been ignored and so they continued popping away with no care on the planet," the group posted of their message.

Miami-Dade police have made an arrest after cellphone video surfaced of individuals on a boat popping balloons into the ocean. NBC 6's Jamie Guirola studies

Miami-Dade Police stated Wednesday night that they arrested one man and handed out nine civil citations.

The person was identified as 29-year-old David Torres-Bocanegra. He was charged with reckless disregard for the atmosphere.

“As a community, we share the accountability to guard our environment," Miami-Dade Police Director George A. Perez mentioned in a statement. "I am extremely proud of our Illegal Dumping Unit, for their thorough investigation and swift conclusion to this case."

David Torres-Bocanegra

Tom Rivas, who rented the boat so he might suggest to his girlfriend, responded to the criticisms on his Instagram stories, saying he was not chargeable for the balloon popping.

"First off, I want to put my coronary heart out and say how necessary it is to protect our surroundings," he said.

Cloud Nine, an occasion planning firm, additionally deflected accountability in a statement on Instagram.

"Our balloon vendor embellished the boat and left. We adorned the pier, completed the proposal, and cleaned up like we always do. We're by no means in command of removing balloon decorations," the assertion read in part.

Esteban Bruna, a yacht dealer, shot the cellphone video.

"I used to be pretty upset about it, that is our bay, this is our livelihood," Bruna mentioned. "I was right here when they were setting them up and then initially I didn't really suppose a lot of it however I assume because the day was performed and they began popping away and letting all of them go into the water I was shocked."

One witness said the balloons may have been a part of a wedding proposal. Bruna stated he confronted the individuals.

"I mentioned to them,' are you guys critical, is this one thing you are going to do right now?' [They] sort of simply blew me off, ignored me," Bruna said. "It was horrifying to see what they had been doing to the marine life and the waterways by simply dumping all of these balloons into the water."

Officials with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Fee mentioned balloons could be mistaken for meals by sea turtles and different marine animals, and if eaten, can lead to internal damage, starvation, and dying.

Balloon releases have been unlawful in Florida since 1989.