Bone Found on the beach

[Kevin]

Last week my wife found a dolphin vertebrae on the beach. Just way cool.

This was the "test" thread I couldn't delete. I posted some pictures without knowing what it was. It was easy to do a google image search, but then I had to figure out what I had to do with it.

It turns out dolphins are a protected ocean mammal and their bones, if found, must be reported and register with the nearest NOAA Fisheries Office.

Side note: if you find a whale bone on the beach, you can't do anything with it.

Anyway, I called the office and left a message. It's the government, so they will get back to me in their own good time. But no, it's probably the holidays, so I'm going to call them again next week when everyone is back at work.

Anyway, here are a couple pictures of the bone. There is a local museum here in Lake Jackson, I might donate it to them. They have those exhibits where kids can touch things.

It's 7 inches wide and 5 inches tall.

 

[Rumrunner]

I used to have a whale vertebra I found in Alaska. Still have a 5' section of whale baleen that I bought in Dutch Harbor.

 

[blume357]

cool looking bone for sure... I just hope before you get around to calling the the NOAA fishery office you don't get the knock on the door or worse.
They are watching you know?

 

[jav]

That's way cool

 

[eveled]

Crazy cool thing to find.

Also how crazy easy it is to cross fish and game laws unintentionally.

Thanks for sharing it with us.

 

[Kevin]

cool looking bone for sure... I just hope before you get around to calling the the NOAA fishery office you don't get the knock on the door or worse.
They are watching you know?

Blume, believe me, I was nervous about calling them. I told my wife if she found another dolphin bone to leave it. They might start to wonder.

 

[coach]

I never would have known finding a dolphin or whale bone on the beach could be a problem.

 

[gnappi]

I'm not an ornithologist (birds) Botanist (plants) Ichthyologist (fish) or pathologist (humans) so if I find a cool bone or plant I'm supposed to know what it is or not pick it up? Nah

When I was a kid I found a cool "bone" knife handle with a silver hilt on it. So according to some "laws" I'd have needed to send it in to some "agency" have it tested for animal or human origin and what? Have it thrown out or re-used as a letter opener by an "agency" employee? Filed away for DNA testing to see if it was a regulated species? Nah!

Anyway as a kid I imagined it was a human bone dagger owned by a pirate and the bone handle was broken when the pirate snapped it off is an enemy pirate's chest, or treasure chest as it may have been

At the time I lived upstate New York many miles from the nearest navigable waterway, but that's a kid's thinking.

Laws have gotten out of hand genned up by "agencies" who started legislating without constitutional authority. Maybe Trump can clear some of this out before his term is out or at leas pass it on to a republican successor.

 

[tunnug]

Working on the railroad I find quite a few owls that have been hit and killed, some with beautiful plumage but I know they are protected and even having one feather will get you fined or more, it's hard to just leave them there to rot away.

 

[Kevin]

I'm not an ornithologist (birds) Botanist (plants) Ichthyologist (fish) or pathologist (humans) so if I find a cool bone or plant I'm supposed to know what it is or not pick it up? Nah

I completely agree, but they also say not knowing a law is not an excuse. So I just don't know what the answer is.

I did do a google search and it took me about 5 minutes to find out what bone it is, and that you have to call the NOAA about it.

And it isn't legal to sell.

It might have only taken about 3 minutes.

 

[mr.deerstalker]

if older the 1973...not an issue. if not, just ask them. I pick up whale bones all the time. walrus stuff to.. fish and wildlife will answer all your questions. hell, they seal that stuff for you if ivorie. bones, they could care less. Mr DS

 

[mr.deerstalker]

cool looking bone for sure... I just hope before you get around to calling the the NOAA fishery office you don't get the knock on the door or worse.
They are watching you know?

NOAA Has nothing to do with it....u.s.f.w.s is is your agency for marine mammals. im there once a year...lol

 

[contender]

Excellent find. And generally not an issue in some places. Other states,, there are laws.

As a diver,, I've often dove in a place where a lot of fossil bones are. There's a simple hobbyist license to legally be able to keep your finds. Anything of unusual or potentially historical interest can be researched by the State. If you have the license,, you become the owner. If you don't the State can confiscate the find.

 

[NC FNS]

Thanks for sharing.
And when they come for you, I call dibs on that Sig you let me try at the 13th annual east coast gathering…

 

[Joey]

Thanks for sharing.
And when they come for you, I call dibs on that Sig you let me try at the 13th annual east coast gathering…

What are friends for?!!!

 

[Acorn]

Uh oh! I hear black helicopters spooling up!

 

[krw]

I woodn't consider a MOP for grips or knife scales. But I think Ivory is pure Sexx!! Especiall Mammoth ivory that is 'colored' up by different minerals in the ground

 

[peachhead]

I've heard of some dumb things but that's just stupid. Most people wouldn't have a clue what that was, in the first place. And the second place the dolphin (or whale or whatever) is already dead so it's not going to make any difference.