NOAA charged two Oahu residents in the death of a monk seal pup.

Last month, a dog attacked and killed a newborn monk seal pup on the North Shore of Oahu. NOAA Fisheries confirmed the cause of death with an animal autopsy (or necropsy). 

On Thursday, NOAA Fisheries and their Office of General Counsel charged Lesley Macpherson and James Armstrong Lyman with the unlawful take of a marine mammal. Officials said they were jointly assessed a $20,000 civil penalty.

DLNR confirmed Macpherson is a DLNR Division of State Parks interpretive technician. According to DLNR, Macpherson reported the death of the monk seal pup to DLNR and Division of State Parks leadership. She was not on duty at the time of the incident. 

“Now that the NOAA Office of General Counsel has issued a Notice of Violation, the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement has initiated an investigation into any violations of State laws and administrative rules, or county ordinances,” the state agency said in a news release. “As this is an open investigation, we have no further comment.” 

In 2022, DLNR shared footage Macpherson filmed of a monk seal giving birth on Oahu. 

Under NOAA’s civil procedure regulations, Macpherson and Lyman have the right to challenge the allegations and civil penalty, and may request a hearing before an administrative judge.