RedactedNarrative: Vessel one was travelling south in the ICW and struck a channel marker causing fiberglass damage. On November 4th, 2016 at approximately 1330 hours while on water patrol of Martin County, I Officer of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) was dispatched to a boating accident that occurred with a rental vessel being returned to Jupiter Pointe Marina in Tequesta. 
  
  	Upon arrival the vessel (FL 9809 PV) a 25’ Sea Fox had already been returned. The vessel was a rental from Jupiter Pointe Marina, owned by JPM Boats LLC. Operator1 was not on scene. The marina employees told me Operator1 had returned it with new damage to the port bow, and port stern. The marina had a written statement from Operator1 regarding the accident for their records. Operator1 wrote the accident occurred at approximately 0715 hours. He wrote he was operating the vessel and was distracted by a flock of birds. He looked up to see a channel marker in front of him and had no time to swerve. He wrote he hit the channel marker. After leaving Jupiter Pointe Marina by vessel I found a channel marker approximately ½ mile away having damage consistent with Operator1’s statement and damage to the vessel. Channel marker 56 showed damage consistent with being hit by a vessel’s bow eye and rub rail area. 
  
  	A call to Operator1 at approximately 1630 confirmed the statement he gave to Jupiter Pointe Marina. Operator1 told me a recap of the incident consistent with the statement he previously gave to the marina.