Weekly Highlights - August 2, 2019
Read about this week's enforcement actions from across the country.
Northeast
- A Special Agent and Enforcement Officer obtained an admission from a vessel operator who unlawfully discarded codfish and failed to list the discards on a Fishing Vessel Trip Report. This is the second violation for this operator.
Southeast
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SED personnel conducted a Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS) Spiny Lobster “Mini-Season” patrol operation in the FL Keys. The patrol, from July 18 through July 30 focused on enforcing the National Marine Sanctuary Act regulations from Key Largo to the Dry Tortugas. Four boat crews conducted 322 hours of vessel patrol, boarded 246 vessels, contacted 906 people and documented 102 violations.
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Jacksonville, FL Special Agents prepared and personally delivered three Summary Settlements and several Written Warnings to a pelagic longline fleet owner for historical violations by the fleet of using longline to harvest fish in Bahamian waters, failure to file Bluefin Tuna reports, failure to file trip declarations, and failure to file pre-landing notices.
Alaska
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An Enforcement Officer conducted an underway boarding on a recreational vessel in Prince William Sound. Three of the four anglers fished and retained halibut. One angler did not have a sport fishing license and retained two halibut and another angler retained seven halibut over his daily bag limit. The halibut was seized and a Summary Settlement will be assessed for the violation. State violations were referred to the Alaska Wildlife State Troopers in Valdez.