President Trump pardoned a Florida diver who faced felony charges for saving sharks from what he believed was illegal fishing, restoring his constitutional rights and sending a powerful message about the balance between conservation and law enforcement.
Key Takeaways
- Florida shark diver Tanner Mansell received a full presidential pardon from President Trump after being convicted for cutting a NOAA longline and freeing 19 sharks and a giant grouper in 2020.
- Mansell and his charter boat captain, John Moore Jr., believed they were stopping an illegal fishing operation and reported their actions to authorities.
- The conviction had stripped Mansell of fundamental rights, including voting, firearm ownership, and international travel, severely impacting his conservation work.
- The pardon restores all of Mansell’s civil liberties after the case gained attention through the U.S. Court of Appeals and the Cato Institute.
- This case highlights the complex intersection between environmental conservation efforts and federal regulations in maritime zones.
A Diver’s Controversial Conservation Effort
In August 2020, Florida-based shark diver Tanner Mansell and charter boat captain John Moore Jr. made a decision that would dramatically alter their lives. Upon discovering what they believed was an illegal fishing operation in Florida waters, the pair cut a longline they later learned belonged to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), releasing 19 sharks and a giant grouper. Their team, which included a police chief and SWAT officer, acted on the belief they were preventing a crime and immediately reported their actions to wildlife officials, demonstrating their conservation intentions rather than criminal ones.
Despite their transparency and conservation motivation, Mansell and Moore were charged with theft in a maritime zone. In 2022, they were convicted, ordered to pay $3,343.72 in restitution, and narrowly avoided prison time. More significantly, the conviction stripped them of fundamental constitutional rights, including voting, firearm ownership, and the ability to travel internationally—the latter particularly devastating for Mansell’s conservation work that frequently requires global travel.
Presidential Intervention Restores Rights
On May 28, in a dramatic reversal of fortune, President Trump granted a full presidential pardon to both Mansell and Moore. The pardon came after the case gained attention from a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals who questioned why the prosecution had proceeded at all. The Cato Institute subsequently published an article highlighting the case, which eventually caught the attention of the White House. The pardon immediately restored all civil liberties to the men and cleared their criminal records.
“I was getting a call from my lawyer, and I answered, and he said, ‘Well, I’ve got good news for you. You just got a full presidential pardon.’ I was speechless. I couldn’t even say thank you. I just soaked it in,” said Tanner Mansell, a Florida shark diver.
Mansell learned of the pardon while on a flight, a moment that left him emotionally overwhelmed and deeply grateful. The pardon represents not just personal vindication but also validation of his conservation efforts. Throughout the legal ordeal, Mansell maintained that he and his team believed they were doing the right thing by intervening in what they perceived as illegal wildlife harvesting, a stance now seemingly endorsed by the presidential action.
Conservation vs. Regulation: A Delicate Balance
The case highlights the sometimes contradictory relationship between grassroots conservation efforts and federal regulatory activities. While NOAA was conducting legitimate research, the appearance of their operation—a longline with numerous sharks attached—was indistinguishable from illegal fishing to the concerned divers. This raises important questions about how federal agencies communicate their research activities to avoid such misunderstandings with conservation-minded citizens.
“I can’t think of two individuals more deserving of a Presidential Pardon,” said Ian Goldstein, Mansell’s attorney.
Even during sentencing, the judge acknowledged the divers’ environmental dedication, issuing what their lawyer described as “probably the lowest sentence ever” for such charges. Nevertheless, the conviction’s impact on their rights was severe. The pardon serves as recognition that the punishment was disproportionate to the intent behind their actions, especially considering they believed they were stopping wildlife crime rather than committing one themselves.
A New Chapter for Conservation
With his rights restored, Mansell can now resume his international conservation work without restrictions. His case stands as a powerful reminder of the complex legal landscape surrounding marine conservation efforts. It also demonstrates President Trump’s willingness to use executive powers to address perceived injustices, particularly in cases where citizens act with good intentions in defense of wildlife and natural resources.
“We were really surprised to get the pardon,” said Tanner Mansell, a Florida shark diver.
The pardon doesn’t just rectify what many saw as an excessive punishment; it sends a broader message about balancing conservation activities with law enforcement priorities. For Mansell and others dedicated to marine conservation, the outcome affirms that their work is valued, even when it occasionally brings them into conflict with regulatory authorities. As he returns to his conservation mission with full rights restored, Mansell’s case will likely inform future interactions between citizen conservationists and government research activities in protected waters.
