Weekly Highlights - May 17, 2019

Northeast

• OLE officers participated in a multi-agency inspection of two affiliated seafood dealers in Quincy, MA.  Agents and Officers from the Massachusetts Environmental Police, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Massachusetts State Police, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, United States Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA Office of Law Enforcement participated in the joint inspection.  NOAA OLE addressed several instances of the subject dealer purchasing seafood from federally permitted fishing vessels without a federal dealer permit. 

Southeast

• A Charleston Special Agent worked with CBP Charleston and SCDNR officers to conduct JEA training and an examination of frozen seafood being imported from Argentina via the Port of Charleston.  The examination occurred at CBP Charleston’s examination station and no violations were documented.

West Coast

• An Enforcement Officer conducted an investigation into a commercial salmon troller exceeding the ratio for chinook to halibut possession limit.  It was determined the operator unloaded all but one chinook at one processing plant and the remaining salmon and halibut at another. A written warning was issued to the operator and the first receiver who purchased the halibut.

Alaska

• A Special Agent issued a $2,400 summary settlement to a helicopter business for the possession of 300 pounds of mutilated sport caught halibut. Compliance assistance was provided for offering sport-caught halibut for sale, trade or barter.
• OLE officers responded in the P/V NATOMA BAY to a report of a plane crash involving 1-3 planes and possibly a boat in George Inlet. Two planes were found down over a mile apart.  OLE officers assisted with the search and rescue efforts in the water and on land.  OLE officers and agents helped to search for survivors, recover debris, and document fatalities and much of the debris fields.  Information was passed on to the US Coast Guard, Alaska State Troopers, and National Transportation Safety Board.