Weekly Highlights - June 25, 2018

Alaska Division

• An Enforcement Officer conducted a 2 day vessel patrol with the Coast Guard in Prince William Sound. Five recreational and four charter halibut vessels were boarded, resulting in one written warning for removal of skin from halibut fillets and two compliance assistance for charter anglers failing to sign the back of their fishing licenses. During these boarding’s, the Coast Guard also identified three safety violations.
• A Special Agent responded to a fishermen who asked about Alaska Native takes of Steller sea lions and also about lawful activities to keep them away from fishing gear. The fisherman was cited in 2016 for discharging a firearm at sea lions.
• An Enforcement Officer issued a summary settlement to a charter halibut guide for failing to have his clients sign for retained halibut and failing to verify the information in the logbook. 

Northeast Division

• A Enforcement Officer provided compliance assistance to two separate vessels for entering the Gulf of Maine Cod Protection Area.
• An Enforcement Officer met with a captain regarding fishing activity without an operating VMS unit. Captain stated he was having payment issues with vendor. Compliance assistance was provided and the vessel's VMS unit is back in operation.
• An Enforcement Officer provided a charter vessel captain in Virginia compliance assistance for failing to have permits on board the vessel at the time of boarding and for failing to complete a vessel trip report prior to landing.

Pacific Islands Division

• An Enforcement Officer attended the Hawaii Longline Vessel’s owners meeting at Pier 14 at Honolulu Harbor, Hawaii. Approximately eight vessel owners attended the meeting. The U.S. Coast Guard, Customs Border Patrol, Hawaii Department of Transportation, Honolulu Harbor Police and the Department of Health also attended the meeting. The OLE Officer addressed all the questions regarding fisheries related issues put forth by the vessels owners during the meeting. 

Southeast Division

• An Enforcement Officer attended an industry meeting including state law enforcement, state biologist, commercial fishermen, charter captains, and federal dealers in the Port Canaveral, FL area to discuss problems specific to the industry in the local area.
• An Enforcement Officer conducted two at sea TED compliance patrols with NOAA Fisheries gear specialists. The team boarded eight shrimp vessels. Five of the vessels had TED violations. But, the shrimp boat crews corrected the violations on scene.
• An additional TED patrol resulted in compliance assistance being provided to a charter vessel that did not have permits on board.

West Coast Division

• Enforcement Officers conducted offload and dock-side inspections. No violations were noted.