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 several 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 "pride ourselves on protecting and spreading consciousness on the attractive waters we get to call home," was shot simply after 4 p.m. at Bayshore Touchdown 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 have been ignored and so they continued popping away with no care in the world," the group posted of their message.

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

Miami-Dade Police mentioned 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 environment.

“As a community, we share the duty to guard our surroundings," Miami-Dade Police Director George A. Perez stated in a press release. "I am extremely happy with our Unlawful Dumping Unit, for his or her thorough investigation and swift conclusion to this case."

David Torres-Bocanegra

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

"First off, I need to put my coronary heart out and say how essential it's to protect our surroundings," he said.

Cloud Nine, an occasion planning firm, also deflected responsibility in an announcement on Instagram.

"Our balloon vendor decorated the boat and left. We adorned the pier, completed the proposal, and cleaned up like we at all times do. We're by no means accountable for eradicating balloon decorations," the assertion read in part.

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

"I used to be pretty upset about it, this is our bay, that is our livelihood," Bruna said. "I was right here when they were setting them up and then initially I did not actually suppose a lot of it however I guess as the day was carried out and they began popping away and letting them all go into the water I used to be shocked."

One witness mentioned the balloons might have been part of a marriage proposal. Bruna mentioned he confronted the people.

"I discussed to them,' are you guys severe, is this something you are going to do proper now?' [They] form of just blew me off, ignored me," Bruna stated. "It was horrifying to see what they had been doing to the marine life and the waterways by just dumping all of those balloons into the water."

Officers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said balloons might be mistaken for meals by sea turtles and different marine animals, and if eaten, can result in inner injury, hunger, and dying.

Balloon releases have been unlawful in Florida since 1989.