St. Pete Beach Hotel Owner Charged for Dumping Toxic Mothballs to Deter Birds
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has arrested Robert Czyszczon, owner of the Plaza Beach Hotel, and Christopher Monroe, owner of Chris’s Beachside Bar, for allegedly placing 1,500 mothballs on St. Pete Beach. The act was intended to prevent black skimmer shorebirds, which are listed as imperiled in Florida, from nesting on the beach. The FWC's investigation revealed that the mothballs were purchased from Walmart and placed on the beach to avoid the installation of protective fencing for the birds, which the hotel owners feared would impact their business operations. 
