Tag Archives: illegal fishing
Illegal Cornwall clam fishermen put public health and honest fishermen’s livelihood at risk for greed
A group of fishermen who illegally fished for high value razor clams by electrocuting them have put the livelihood of honest fishermen at risk, damaged the environment and endangered consumers’ health for greed, a judge said. Luke Anderson, 44, of St. Margarets–at-Cliffe in Kent, Steven Corcoran, 46, from Motherwell in Scotland, Marc Drew, 50, from Mousehole, Graeme Etheridge, 61, of Paul in Cornwall, Jake Richardson, 26, of Bedminster in Dorset, David Thomasson, 52, from Bodmin, Ross Waters, 47, of St Buryan, and Simon Tester, 52, from Canterbury in Kent, were all employed by boat owner David Turner (from Kent) – who is to be sentenced for illegal fishing offences in September. >click to read< 14:40
San Francisco D.A. wants a fisherman to pay nearly $1 million over illegal Dungeness crabbing in MPA
A commercial fisherman from Vallejo is accused of illegally catching more than 250 Dungeness crabs at the protected North Farallon Islands State Marine Reserve, San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin announced Friday. On Feb. 11, an unidentified fisherman alerted the California Department of Fish and Wildlife of commercial Dungeness crab traps in the North Farallon Islands State Marine Reserve area, according to a complaint filed by the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office. Officers from the CDFW then found what appeared to be a line, also called a “string,” of 92 commercial Dungeness crab trap buoys in the southern part of the reserve,,, >click to read< 17:21
U.S. puts restrictions on Mexican boats over illegal fishing
The U.S. government is putting restrictions on Mexican fishing boats entering U.S. ports over allegations that the Mexican government has failed to prevent illegal fishing in U.S. waters. Starting Feb. 7, all Mexican fishing boats in the Gulf of Mexico will be prohibited from entering U.S. ports. “This is an example of how rampant illegal fishing is in Mexico,” said Alejandro Olivera with the Center for Biological Diversity. “Mexican fisheries enforcement has been weakened since the start of this administration.” >click to read< 09:50
Big fines for boat operators illegally fishing off Yorkshire coast
Magistrates heard boats from Oban in Scotland and Torquay in Devon repeatedly broke rules designed to protect the scallop fishery off the coast near Robin Hood’s Bay during a four-month period in 2019. John MacAlister, owner of the Star of Annan OB 50, and master of the vessel Alec Murray both appeared at Scarborough Magistrates’ Court having admitted the offences at a previous hearing. The court heard how the offences included operating in a closed season, using scallop dredges, failing to operate a fully-functioning vessel identification system as well as landing undersized scallops. >click to read< 17:56
Heard of this Secret Armada? In the Russian exclusive economic zone, a secret war is going on.
Every year thousands of makeshift North Korean boats invade the waters of Japan and Russia to strip their seas of fish. In a desperate bid for hard cash, and to feed his people, North Korea leader Kim Jong Un is forcing his fleets further out to sea to illegally fish, breaking United Nations sanctions. It’s risky business with voyages often resulting in death for the North Korean fisherman. Far out to sea in the Russian exclusive economic zone, a secret war is going on. The Russian coastguard is stepping up its operations against the North Korean armada. >click to read< 14:21
Fines to rogue fishermen fall and illegal fishing escapes prosecution, environmentalists claim
Concerns have been raised recently that fishermen are increasingly involved in illegal scallop dredging and prawn trawling to supply a black market in seafood, at the expense of Scotland’s marine environment.,,, Environmentalists claim that the Scottish Government is not treating damage to MPAs by boats as “serious crimes”. They have accused the official body tasked with protecting seas, Marine Scotland, of failing to take tough enforcement action against skippers breaking the law. >click to read< 13:54
Canada’s next-generation RADARSAT satellite constellation successfully launched
Canada’s RADARSAT Constellation Mission (RCM) was launched successfully into space aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.The constellation of three satellites will provide daily images of Canada’s vast territory and maritime approaches, as well as images of the Arctic, up to four times a day. It will have daily access to 90 percent of the world’s surface. The RCM is also equipped with an Automatic Identification System (AIS), allowing improved detection and tracking of ships, including those conducting illegal fishing. >click to read<18:19
Woody Point fish plant and owner acquitted of illegal fishing
In a directed verdict released on Wednesday, Todd Young and 3Ts Ltd. were acquitted of fishing for Atlantic halibut without a licence. Young is part owner of the 3Ts fish plant, which is based in Woody Point. The case was heard by Judge Wayne Gorman in provincial court in Corner Brook on May 18 and 28. At the conclusion of the Crown’s case, counsel for Young and 3Ts applied for a directed verdict. The request meant Gorman had to determine whether the evidence, if believed, could reasonably support the inference of guilt the Crown had sought to draw. In his written decision, Gorman said he concluded it did not and the application should be granted, and he acquitted both accused of the charge against them. >click to read<10:23
Illegal fishing drives early shutdown of elver fishery
The Department of Marine Resources announced Wednesday afternoon that it will shut down the elver fishery two weeks early “because of illegal sales which jeopardize the department’s ability to manage the fishery.” The department will use its emergency rulemaking authority to close the season. The elver fishing season will close at 6 a.m. on Thursday, May 24. The season was scheduled to end at noon on Thursday, June 7. Under the regulation, licensed harvesters may not fish for or take elvers after 6 a.m. on May 24, but may possess and sell elvers until noon on that day. Licensed dealers may purchase elvers until noon on May 24, and may possess legally purchased elvers until 6 a.m. on May 29. >click to read<08:34
Coast Guard issues violations for illegal fishing near Cape Romain
A Coast Guard boarding team issued fishing and safety violations Thursday to a vessel 19 miles east of Cape Romain, South Carolina. The 44-foot fishing vessel The Long Line was found actively laying and retrieving fishing pots in a prohibited area. The Coast Guard Cutter Cormorant noticed The Long Line crew setting their pods Wednesday night and later retrieving the pods Thursday morning. A Cormorant boarding team conducted a living marine resources boarding and cited the crew for failing to comply with area restrictions. >click to read<23:50
Businessmen fined a historic $2 million for overfishing rock lobster
Australian rock lobsters are the best in the world but after they started to disappear from unlimited fishing, the government decided the expensive crustacean was going to be fiercely protected. And that was the expensive lesson a number of Wollongong businessmen learnt yesterday after a judge in the coastal city handed down the biggest fines ever given for illegal fishing in NSW history. The group of men, who were part of the fishing company that engaged in the major scam, the seafood restaurant that bought them and anyone associated with the crime, were fined a whopping $2.1 million. click here to read the story 11:16
Senior NOAA appointee calls for retraction of paper on illegal fishing
A top US official at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, who was recently appointed by President Donald Trump, has called for the retraction of a paper that suggests the country exports a significant amount of illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. The paper, published July 6 in Marine Policy, estimated that in 2015 approximately one-fifth of Alaska pollock exports to Japan were either illegal, unreported, or unregulated — a value of as much as $75 million. click here to read the story 15:17
Obama Administration Issuing New Rules to Curb Illegal Fishing, Seafood Fraud
The Obama administration is issuing new rules it says will crack down on illegal fishing and seafood fraud by preventing unverifiable fish products from entering the U.S. market. The new protections are called the Seafood Import Monitoring Program, and they are designed to stop illegally fished and intentionally misidentified seafood from getting into stores and restaurants by way of imported fish. The rules will require seafood importers to report information and maintain records about the harvest and chain of custody of fish, officials with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said. The program will start by focusing on “priority species” that are especially vulnerable to illegal fishing, such as popular food fish like tuna, swordfish, Atlantic cod and grouper. The government hopes eventually to broaden the program to include all fish species, NOAA officials said. Read the rest here 17:50
Foreign trawlers continue to pillage Grand Banks of Newfoundland
Five foreign trawlers have been issued a total of six citations in recent months for illegal fishing on the Grand Banks of Newfoundland, outside Canada’s 200-mile limit. Sept. 14: American trawler Alex Marie; cited in port at Trepassey for directed fishing for white hake on the tail of the Grand Banks. The fish was only to be taken as a by catch. July 21st: American trawler Titan, cited in Louisbourg, N.S. for inaccurate storage plans. July 7th: Spanish trawler Ana Gandon, boarded at sea on the Flemish Cap and cited for improper storage of redfish. June 15th: Portuguese trawler Calvao, boarded on the tail of the Grand Banks and cited for misreporting redfish catches. May 22nd: Spanish trawler Puente Sabaris, boarded on the Flemish Cap, and issued two citations for misreporting redfish catches. Read the rest here 11:00
Zappa 1 tuna fishermen handed five-year suspension after guilty pleas
Three men who fished out of the Antigonish area are banned from the catch-and-release bluefin tuna fishery for five years after pleading guilty to a total of 27 charges of illegal fishing. George Boyle, the license holder and owner of the Zappa 1, along with crew members Dale Trenholm and Evan McDormand are prohibited from taking part in the commercial bluefin tuna fishery for two years as well. Boyle, Trenholm and McDormand used gaffs and rope to remove a bluefin tuna from the water during a catch-and-release trip on October 7, 2014, according to an agreed statement of facts submitted in court on Monday. Read the rest here 18:36
In the Gulf – Effects of Illegal Fishing on Local Fishing Industry
Over 1,000 pounds of red snapper were seized from a lancha by the U.S. Coast Guard. There were 4 Mexican nationals aboard the boat. They were taken to the U.S. Coast Guard at the island. A charter fisherman said when people fish illegally his profits take a big hit. It can also drain a fishing spot. “Everything changed. We didn’t catch anything in that area, nothing. We didn’t even mark anything on our fish finder. It was absolutely zero,” Michael Walker said. Walker takes people out to fish. If there are no fish to catch, it can result in the loss of a customer. Read the rest here 09:19
US Fishermen Seek Federal Action against Illegal Fishing
Mexican fishing boats enter U.S. sovereign waters and illegally poach hundreds to thousands of fish at a time. Although the U.S. Coast Guard and Gulf state maritime law enforcement agencies have taken aggressive action to find and destroy these illegal Mexican vessels, the frequency of such incursions continues to escalate. “Illegal fishing is a direct threat to the livelihoods of thousands of hardworking Americans along the Gulf coast and we must do more to protect our coastal economies, our coastal businesses, and our fishermen,” said Congressman David Jolly (FL-13). Read the rest here 10:50Fisherman out $20K in forfeited crab and fines over illegal fishing
A fisherman from New World Island has to pay thousands in fines and was made to forfeit tens of thousands of dollars worth of crab for violating fishery regulations. Chesley Coish of Hillgrade was convicted on two counts of fishing in an area not listed on his crab licence — once in 2012, another in 2013. Coish was fined $4,000 for both convictions. He was also ordered to forfeit over 8,000 pounds of crab worth $16,333. Until the fines are paid, Coish will be unable to transfer his licence. Click here 10:09
How the Cold War depleted our oceans and led to Japan’s $37,000 tuna – Really?
Though the price one Tokyo sushi-maker paid for a Pacific bluefin tuna marks a sharp drop from recent peaks, $35,000 isn’t chump change. Given the species’ scarcity, it’s also not surprising. In Nov. 2014, it was re-classified as “vulnerable,” meaning it’s in danger of extinction.This scarcity isn’t just a tuna thing. and illegal fishing mean that stocks in every corner of the sea are disappearing at an unsustainable pace. Though many blame the – hoo boy, Read the rest here 17:52
Flag hopping fishing companies drive small fishermen to piracy. – The link between illegal fishing and piracy
Government authorities and shipping industry insiders are increasingly concerned that maritime piracy will rise globally as huge, commercial fishing firms—especially the ones that operate illegally—drive fishermen from poor countries out of business. “When people don’t have any way of feeding their families by fishing, they don’t have many options,” Read the rest here 16:44
In Togiak, illegal fishing prompts concerns about escapement
The weather was poor on the evening of July 8, which for veteran wildlife trooper Brett Gibbens meant it was probably a good night for a patrol flight. Why? Because fishermen rightly or wrongly assume that fishing outside of the line is best gotten away with when enforcement efforts may be hampered by weather. <Read more here> 11:33
