The waters are troubled at the Miami Seaquarium, as Miami-Dade County has slapped the marine park with its second Notice of Default. According to Local 10 News, the aquatic attraction is more than $87,000 behind in rent payments to the county and is facing additional pressure over alleged animal welfare and facility, and infrastructure violations.
The latest notice gives the Seaquarium a 45-day window to clean up its act or risk losing its lease. In a strict tone, county officials warned, “In the event of non-compliance, the County retains the right to exercise all available remedies pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Amended and Reinstated Lease Agreement, and will take all necessary steps to seek termination of same,” as stated in the county's letter to the facility. The crunch comes just a week after the facility was hit with a Notice of Default, stemming from a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspection that uncovered a severe lack of trained staff.
According to the USDA inspection report, the Seaquarium’s troubles include the resignation of its only veterinary technician, which has thrown the care of its marine inhabitants into jeopardy. The November report highlighted an alarming scenario: two veterinarians left to manage the health and welfare of 46 marine mammals plus a multitude of birds, fish, sharks, and rays. The staffing crisis has reportedly hindered routine preventive exams, pushing the team to focus solely on urgent and sick cases. Insufficient staffing can lead to poor husbandry practices and hinder the veterinary staff’s ability to provide routine care and maintenance for the animals," as per the inspection letter, reported by Local 10 News.
While the Seaquarium grapples with these allegations, the clock is ticking on the 45-day notice period. Further complicating matters, are the additional animal welfare and facility concerns that have been aired on social media. A post from Urgent Seas' Instagram account echoes the urgency, noting violations of the lease agreement that include not just the financial delinquency but also infrastructure failures and animal welfare concerns that have cast further shadows over the institution. The Seaquarium has yet to publicly respond to the county’s latest action or outline a plan to address the myriad issues at hand.
