Weekly Highlights - April 5, 2019

Alaska Division

• A Special Agent closed a written warning case involving a Southeast, AK charter fisherman that failed to record a second CHP number when fishing multiple CHPs.

• An Enforcement Officer issued a fishing vessel operator a summary settlement of $3,242.50 for exceeding the GOA pollock trip limit.

Northeast Division

• The IS Team identified six vessels on declared scallop trips with VMS activity inside the Great South Channel Habitat Management Area. Northeast Division

Southeast Division

• A Savannah, GA EO examined a container of wild caught shrimp at the Port of Savannah.  SIMP documentation was reported electronically so the documentation was requested from the broker.  The container of frozen shrimp was found compliant.

• A Savannah, GA EO investigated a charter fisherman suspected of selling recreational caught fish.  Interviews were conducted at two restaurants with owners, managers, and chefs.  The charter fishermen provided a written statement admitting to selling fish to the restaurants.  Further investigation is pending.  

Pacific Islands Division

• A Special Agent uncovered new wildlife imports being shipped to a convicted wildlife trafficker (a previous PID investigation). The result of these shipments caused the court to terminate the subject’s supervised release and sentence the trafficker to one month imprisonment, and an additional term of supervised release of three years.