


Read about this week's enforcement actions from around the country.
Enforcement personnel discussed bycatch, salmon and pollock trip limits at a pre-trawl meeting in Kodiak. Approximately 35 vessel operators and owners attended.
Enforcement personnel conducted surveillance operations with State of Hawaii JEA conservation officers from the Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE), on the Island of Kauai. The surveillance operations were focused on investigating potential harassment of ESA sea turtles, via the use of plainclothes officers positioned on shoreline locations so they could observe the public’s interactions with the protected species. Additional mobile teams of officers were in place to cite and/or arrest violators if violations occurred. The operation included locations throughout the Island, including a sea cave called Turtle Cove, accessed only by a cliff-side trail, as well as other beach locations on the south side of the Island of Kauai.
During the operations at the Turtle Cove Sea Cave, the officers were able to observe continual compliance by numerous visitors at the cave site. Newly manufactured warning signs provided by NOAA’s Protected Resources Division were subsequently placed in obvious locations of the downward trail. Thus, providing visitors with recommended behaviors towards the turtles prior to their arrival on the beach. The mission served as a great opportunity for PID to work alongside with DOCARE’s Kauai Branch on areas of mutual concern. No citations were issued or arrest made during this op.
An Enforcement Officer in American Samoa conducted a boarding of a U.S. Flagged Purse Seine fishing vessel that was conducting an offload at the Am Samoa tuna processer. Fishing logs, FAD locations, RFMO authorization paperwork, gear, EEZ authorization permits, and compliance with CMM’s were investigated. No violations were found during the time of this boarding.