Minden Pictures alleges Sea Delight used an Atlantic Sailfish stock photograph

The complaint

Minden Pictures, Inc. v. Sea Delight LLC, No. 0:26-cv-63097 (S.D. Fla.), was filed November 2, 2026, ECF No. 1 (8 pages). Minden Pictures is described as a California corporation with its principal place of business in Aptos, California, and as a provider of rights-managed wildlife and nature stock photography that serves as exclusive licensing agent for photographers whose work it represents. Sea Delight LLC is described as a Florida limited liability company based in Coral Springs, Florida, that owns and operates a seafood importing, processing, and distribution company. The case was assigned to Judge Jeffrey T. Kuntz.

The work

The complaint alleges that photographer Tim Fitzharris created a professional photograph of Atlantic Sailfish (internal name "00558734"), that he owns the work, and that Minden Pictures and the photographer registered the work with the Register of Copyrights as co-owners. It says Exhibit A identifies the corresponding U.S. Copyright Office registration number and shows screenshots of the alleged use, and that true and correct copies of the certificates of registration are attached as Exhibit B. Exhibits A and B are not available. It further alleges that written agreements conveyed to Minden Pictures exclusive rights including the exclusive right to reproduce and distribute the work, giving Minden Pictures standing under 17 U.S.C. § 501(b).

What the complaint alleges

The complaint alleges that after the registration Sea Delight reproduced, distributed, and/or publicly displayed the work on its website, webpage, social media, and/or printed media without a license, and that Sea Delight never contacted Minden Pictures for permission. It alleges, upon information and belief, that Sea Delight located a copy of the work on the internet and copied it for its own commercial use. It alleges Minden Pictures discovered the use in November 2024, notified Sea Delight in writing, and that Sea Delight failed to remove the work despite communications by Federal Express, email, and telephone, and that the work was still published on its website when the complaint was filed.

Claims and relief

Count I is copyright infringement under 17 U.S.C. § 501. The prayer seeks declarations of infringement and willfulness; actual damages and disgorgement of profits under 17 U.S.C. § 504(b) or, at Minden Pictures' election, statutory damages for each photograph comprising the work; costs and attorneys' fees under § 505; interest including prejudgment interest; a permanent injunction under § 502 against further infringement and continued display, transfer, advertising, reproduction, or marketing of works derived or copied from the work; and other relief.