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

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

The video posted by MMG Outboard Division, a bunch who says they "delight ourselves on defending and spreading consciousness on the beautiful waters we get to call home," was shot just after 4 p.m. at Bayshore Landing Marina.

Two people 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 earth," the group posted in their message.

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

Miami-Dade Police said Wednesday evening that they arrested one man and handed out 9 civil citations.

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

“As a neighborhood, we share the responsibility to guard our surroundings," Miami-Dade Police Director George A. Perez mentioned in a statement. "I'm extraordinarily pleased with 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 responsible for the balloon popping.

"First off, I need to put my coronary heart out and say how essential it's to protect the environment," he stated.

Cloud Nine, an event planning firm, additionally deflected duty in a press release on Instagram.

"Our balloon vendor embellished the boat and left. We adorned the pier, completed the proposal, and cleaned up like we at all times do. We're never accountable for removing balloon decorations," the statement learn partly.

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

"I was pretty upset about it, this is our bay, this is our livelihood," Bruna stated. "I was right here after they have been setting them up and then initially I did not actually suppose much of it however I assume because the day was performed they usually began popping away and letting them all go into the water I used to be shocked."

One witness said the balloons might have been a part of a marriage proposal. Bruna stated he confronted the folks.

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

Officials with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said balloons might be mistaken for meals by sea turtles and other marine animals, and if eaten, can result in inside damage, hunger, and demise.

Balloon releases have been unlawful in Florida since 1989.