THREE FISHING VESSELS PENALIZED $85,000 FOR ILLEGAL CATCH

October 26, 2004

NOAA Fisheries Office for Law Enforcement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 26, 2004
Found at: NOAA Release

THREE FISHING VESSELS PENALIZED $85,000 FOR ILLEGAL CATCH

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issued Notices of Violation and Assessment (NOVA), with penalties ranging between $10,000 and $50,000 to three fishing vessels (FVs), for violations of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSFCMA). The NOVAs issued on October 12, 2004 cited each vessel for landing and possessing northeast multispecies in violation of federal fisheries regulations promulgated under the MSFCMA. NOAA is an agency of the Department of Commerce.

On or about Aug. 10, 2004, Law Enforcement Officers from the Maine Marine Patrol boarded a commercial fishing boat and found unlawfully landed and possessed northeast multispecies caught by means of pair trawling near Rockland, Maine. NOAA issued a $50,000 NOVA to the owner.

On or about Aug. 10, 2004, officers from the NOAA Fisheries Office for Law Enforcement and the Maine Marine Patrol boarded a commercial fishing boat in Portland, Maine. They found unlawfully landed and possessed northeast multispecies harvested by mid-water trawl gear in violation of the vessel’s mid-water trawl exemption certificate. NOAA issued a $25,000 NOVA to the owner and operator of the boat.

On or about July 16 and 17, 2004, personnel from the NOAA Fisheries Office for Law Enforcement, Massachusetts Environmental Police and US Coast Guard boarded a commercial fishing boat and found unlawfully landed and possessed northeast multispecies caught by means of pair trawling near Gloucester, MA. NOAA issued a $10,000 NOVA to the owner and operator.

While fishing for herring, these vessels unlawfully landed and possessed various amounts of northeast multispecies, including haddock and hake. Herring vessels are prohibited from possessing and landing any amount of northeast multispecies.

“Because these cases were being so closely watched by both the
herring and groundfish industries, we asked NOAA General Counsel to
expedite their review of our investigations,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Andy Cohen, Office for Law Enforcement–Northeast Division.

NOAA Fisheries is dedicated to protecting and preserving our nation’s living marine resources through scientific research, management, law enforcement, and the conservation of marine mammals and other protected marine species and their habitat.

The Commerce Department’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the predication and research of weather and climate-related events and providing environmental stewardship of our nation’s coastal and marine resources.