US President Donald Trump has pardoned two divers from Florida who were convicted of theft in 2022 after freeing 19 sharks from longlines off Jupiter (Florida) in 2020. Captain John Moore Jr. and crew member Tanner Mansell considered the fishing lines illegal, cut them, freed the animals – and then reported the find to the authorities.
Rescue mission turned into a criminal case
In August 2020, the crew of a shark dive boat came across a several-mile-long longline that held, among others, a great hammerhead, six tiger sharks, three lemon sharks, two nurse sharks, a Caribbean reef shark, a silky shark, and a goliath grouper. Moore and Mansell brought the line ashore as evidence. Later it turned out that the owner was fishing with a NOAA license for research purposes.
Trump pardons 2 shark divers convicted for interfering with federal research gear https://t.co/KZhhZUgRfL
— Glenn E. Martin 🐐 (@glennEmartin) June 21, 2025
Despite their open approach, the men were charged with theft by the prosecution and found guilty by a jury. They had to pay 3,343.72 US dollars in damages; there were no prison sentences, but the convictions restricted their civil rights and travel permissions.
Pardon and reactions
On May 28, Trump signed the pardons and annulled the convictions. Lawyers speak of an excessive trial and a "just correction."
“We never gave up – justice has prevailed,” said Moore’s lawyer Marc Seitles. “The White House recognized that this prosecution was unjust.” “This case should never have been brought,” said Mansell’s lawyer Ian Goldstein. “The two acted in good faith and wanted to save sharks from a supposedly illegal longline.”
The prosecution had previously argued that the crew knew the fishing was legal and acted out of business interests. With the pardon, the criminal consequences for Moore and Mansell are lifted.
