A man was arrested Thursday after about 350 pounds of coral and rocks were found on his boat during a routine safety inspection, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said.
Alain Salermo, 37, was arrested and charged with harvesting/possession of live rock after more than 80 rocks were found on his boat in a Key Biscayne marina, said Officer Jorge Pino, a commission spokesman.
It is illegal to stand on or touch any live or dead coral, the Coast Guard said in a statement.
"It's not common for us to find an individual that has an excess of 300 pounds of live rock in its possession, that's not very common," Pino said. "We do come across some individuals that possess this, but certainly not 300 pounds."
The coral and rocks, which are home to live organisms, are valuable worldwide and could be sold illegally for as much as $10 a pound, Pino said.
Salermo was in jail. His bond was set at $500. The name of his attorney was not immediately known.
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