Tag Archives: pleaded guilty
Scottish firm fined £20,000 for illegally fishing for King Scallops without a license in Isle of Man
A Scottish firm has been fined £20,000 after its vessel was found fishing illegally in the Isle of Man’s territorial waters last year. The owner of the Star Fishing Company Limited pleaded guilty to fishing for King Scallops without a licence on 3 December 2022 at Douglas Courthouse on Tuesday. Prosecutor Rachel Cubbon told the court the Star of Jura entered Manx waters twice in the early hours on Saturday 3 December, which was confirmed when DEFA and Marine Scotland examined the boat’s on-board monitoring and tracking systems. Further investigation of the Master’s daybook and electronic logbook revealed 12 bags of King Scallops had been landed in Manx waters, which was not declared. >>click to read<< 10:24
Cornish family business Rowse Fishing Ltd fined for illegal lobster fishing
A Cornish family business supplying crab and lobster to local and international markets and a vessel master have been fined big for illegal lobster fishing. On Wednesday (January 11) at Truro Magistrates’ Court, Cornwall Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (IFCA) successfully prosecuted Rowse Fishing Limited and Ben Rowse, 26, of Penzance, the respective owner and master of the vivier potting vessel Emma Louise TO60. Rowse Fishing Ltd and Ben Rowse pleaded guilty to the offences of fishing for berried, v-notched or mutilated lobsters. Magistrates sentenced the company to a fine of £20,000 and the payment of prosecution costs amounting to £6,309.90. The master was fined £2,338 plus a victim surcharge of £190. >click to read< 20:30
N.S. lobster pound guilty of ‘egregious’ handling of egg-bearing female lobsters
One of Nova Scotia’s largest lobster pounds has been convicted for holding undersized and egg-bearing female lobsters at its facility on Cape Sable Island. Atlantic ChiCan pleaded guilty in provincial court Thursday on two Fisheries Act charges and was fined $25,000 and ordered to pay another $50,000 into an environmental damages fund. “This was an egregious amount” of egg-bearing, or berried, female lobster that were located and seized by fishery officers, federal Crown lawyer Derek Schnare said in Shelburne provincial court. >click to read< 08:56
Fishermen sentenced for poaching paddlefish in MS lake
Two commercial fishermen from Kentucky illegally harvested paddlefish and paddlefish roe from a Mississippi lake, and it cost them their livelihood for five years, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi announced. James Lawrence “Lance” Freeman, 27, of Eddyville, Kentucky, and Marcus Harrell, 34, of Murray, Kentucky, pleaded guilty to conspiring to violate the Lacey Act,,, According to prosecutors, Freeman or Harrell would take roe they harvested from paddlefish in Moon Lake back to Kentucky to sell to commercial processors, falsely claiming that the paddlefish had been caught in the Ohio River,,, >click to read< 17:34
Virginia Man Pleads Guilty to Murder Aboard Commercial Scallop Boat
Franklin Freddy Meave Vazquez, 31, pleaded guilty to one count of murder in the second degree, one count of attempted murder, and one count of assault with a dangerous weapon. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for June 28, 2022. Meave Vazquez was indicted in November 2018. On Sept. 23, 2018, the scalloping vessel, F/V Captain Billy Haver, was sailing approximately 55 miles off the coast of Nantucket with seven crew members aboard, including Meave Vazquez and the three victims. Inside the shucking house, Meave Vazquez used a hammer to strike Victim A hard in the head into unconsciousness. Meave Vazquez then walked out onto the deck,,, >click to read< 22:17
Operation One-Way Chandelier – Two members of Gosman family plead guilty in over-quota fish plot
Two members of the Gosman family pleaded guilty on Thursday to one count each of criminal conspiracy for their role, and that of their Montauk company, in an alleged plot to buy over-quota fish from a local trawler captain,,, Bryan and Asa Gosman pleaded guilty to the single conspiracy count,,, A Montauk fisherman also named in the case, Christopher Winkler, has pleaded not guilty. Peter Smith, a Northport attorney for Winkler, said the Montauk trawler-boat captain of the New Age “maintains his innocence.” >click to read< – Gosman’s Market Owners Admit 250K Fish Fraud – The indictments were part of Operation One-Way Chandelier, an ongoing multi-year investigation into fisheries fraud on Long Island being led by NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement. >click to read< 17:47
Forfeited: Seafood firm loses $20m vessel after trawling in protected area
Seafood company Sanford Limited has lost a $20 million fishing vessel after it admitted trawling in a protected fishing area off the coast of Stewart Island. The Christchurch District Court has ordered the company to forfeit the San Waitaki, a 64m deep water stern trawler with a processing factory and freezer facilities on board, to the Crown. The company has also been fined $36,000. In February, Sanford pleaded guilty to trawling in a lower buffer zone of a benthic protected area (BPA). >click to read< 21:39
Commercial skipper fined for throwing bear banger at sea lions
B.C. harvester Allan Marsden pleaded guilty in Courtenay Provincial Court to disturbing marine mammals under section 7.1(b) of the Marine Mammal Regulations. Marsden was fined $8,000 and prohibited from possessing explosives for the next three years. The March 2019 incident in the Strait of Georgia made headlines after a video of it surfaced on social media. The video prompted a lengthy investigation by fishery officers from the Georgia Basin North Conservation and Protection detachment out of Nanaimo. (I watched it again, and yes guys. it was awesome!) >video, click to read< 16:48
Helping fellow fisherman led to court appearance for Cardigan and Newport pair
Doing a good deed for a fellow fisherman when his boat sank along with thousands of pounds of equipment led to two men appearing in court. David Norman Sneade, of Maes Morfa, Newport, and Kevin John Hancock, of Rhyd y Felin, Cardigan, appeared at Haverfordwest magistrates court for the conclusion of their trial on Monday, January 20. Snead, 60, pleaded guilty to failing to comply with a direction given by a Marine Enforcement officer when told to return a catch to sea, and to catching three undersized crabs. >click to read< 12:40
Captain admits throwing illegally caught fish overboard in NC
A fishing captain has pleaded guilty to throwing away fish in North Carolina to prevent the Coast Guard from seizing it. Federal prosecutors said Tuesday that 51-year-old William Juel, of Little River, South Carolina, pleaded guilty to disposing of illegally caught fish in North Carolina. Authorities say the Coast Guard approached his boat, the Island Runner, and boarded it in November 2017. >click to read< 09:54
Feds seize Miami fishing boat after owner poached lobster in Biscayne National Park
The owner of a 34-foot commercial fishing boat surrendered it to federal officials Monday after the captain was caught poaching nearly 300 spiny lobsters and stone crabs in Biscayne National Park last summer. In August, a park marine patrol officer stopped the Silvita for a routine inspection and discovered 231 illegally wrung tails stashed in an anchor locker, along with more than two dozen egg-bearing or undersized lobsters, said park marine patrol spokesman Robert MacKavich. >click to read<19:13
Maine lobsterman sentenced for trying to ram skiff with 2 men aboard
A Vinalhaven man will serve 45 days in jail for attempting to ram his lobster boat into another boat that was carrying two men. Carl B. Gross, 32, received his sentence this week following a deferred sentencing agreement. As part of the agreement, Gross pleaded guilty to charges of reckless conduct and operating watercraft to endanger, according to court documents. >click to read<21:20
Former New Bedford Fishing Captain Pleads to Hindering Coast Guard Inspection at Sea
A former New Bedford fishing boat captain pleaded guilty Thursday to interfering with a U.S. Coast Guard inspection and faces sentencing Nov. 28, federal prosecutors said. Thomas D. Simpson, 57, of South Portland, Maine, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of destruction or removal of property subject to seizure and inspection, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office. On May 31, 2014, the Bulldog was engaged in commercial fishing off the coast of Massachusetts when the USCG boarded the vessel to perform a routine inspection, the news release said. At the time of the boarding, the Bulldog’s net was deployed in the water and the crew was actively fishing. >Click to read<18:49
Skipper Christopher Lee Jarman admits trawler grounding charge
The skipper of a fishing boat that ran aground near Canterbury’s Lake Ellesmere has admitted he failed to ensure a proper look-out was kept. The 22-metre Lady Sarah grounded on Kaitorete Spit in December 2016 and remained on the shingle shore for two weeks before it was broken into pieces and moved to a contractor’s yard. Skipper Christopher Lee Jarman, 35, of Heathcote Valley, pleaded guilty on Thursday to failing to keep the look-out and causing unnecessary danger or risk to property or persons, including the crew. >click to read< 10:44
Day’s of Reckoning – Feds seek prison time for Carlos Rafael; sentencing Monday, Tuesday
More than a year and half after “The Codfather” was arrested, the fate of Carlos Rafael and 13 of his fishing permits will be decided Monday and Tuesday. In March, Rafael, 65, pleaded guilty to falsifying fishing quota, bulk cash smuggling and tax evasion. His sentencing was originally scheduled for June 27. A few delays later, the case is set to wrap up Monday and Tuesday in front of Judge William Young in U.S. District Court in Boston. The government and the defense each filed to the court Wednesday their recommendation for Rafael’s sentencing. Here’s a summary of the nearly 70 pages of documents. click here to read the story 07:51
‘The Codfather’ case puts federal fishing regulations to the test – For 30 years, Carlos Rafael, better known in New England fishing circles as “the Codfather,” has brazenly billed himself as the industry’s most successful outlaw. click here to read the story 13:19
Aquarium-Business Owner Admits to Trafficking Protected Corals
The owner of an aquarium business in Puerto Rico pleaded guilty Wednesday to harvesting protected reef creatures and selling them off island. Aristides Sanchez ran his saltwater aquarium business, Wonders of the Reef Aquarium, in his hometown of Arecibo, Puerto Rico. Prosecutors say native Puerto Rican marine species accounted for a large part of Sanchez’s business, and that he sent live specimens to customers in the mainland United States and foreign countries by commercial courier services. “From January 2013 to March 2016, Sanchez sent or caused to be sent at least 130 shipments of falsely labeled marine species that were illegally harvested in the waters of Puerto Rico,” the Justice Department says. click here to read the story 13:25
Maine man gets three days in jail for shooting seal
A Warren man pleaded guilty on Monday to shooting a seal off the coast of Acadia National Park last fall, according to federal prosecutors. Joseph A. Martin, 54, was sentenced to serve three days behind bars and was ordered by federal Magistrate Judge John C. Nivison to pay a $1,000 fine for shooting the animal, which is protected by the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act. Martin was acting as captain of a fishing boat on Oct. 10, 2016 when multiple seals approached the vessel, federal officials said Monday in a news release. Martin was fishing off the coast of Acadia National Park, which stretches from Schoodic Point to Isle Au Haut, officials said. click here to read the story 20:49
Captain of Fishing Vessel Pleads Guilty for Discharging Waste into the Ocean
A captain of the fishing vessel (F/V) Native Sun pleaded guilty Friday in federal court in Seattle, Washington, for discharging oily-waste directly into the ocean in violation of the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS) and the federal conspiracy statute. Randall Fox pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Lasnik of the Western District of Washington to two criminal felony counts for violating APPS’ prohibition against discharging oily-wastes, namely machinery-space bilge water, directly into the ocean. According to court documents, Randall Fox, and other co-conspirators, repeatedly discharged the oil-contaminated bilge water into the ocean using unapproved submersible pumps and hoses. On at least one occasion, such a discharge left a sizable oily-sheen along the surface of the water that trailed alongside the F/V Native Sun. Trial for vessel owner Bingham Fox is currently set to begin March 21, 2017. Read the rest here 15:38
Warren Maine man admits to helping sink lobster boat
A 21-year-old Warren man was sentenced Thursday, Jan. 26, to three months in jail for his role in the sinking of a lobster boat off St. George last summer. Devin Meklin pleaded guilty in Knox County Unified Court to aggravated criminal mischief and theft in connection to the Sept. 1 sinking of the 36-foot lobster boat Oracle owned by Joshua Hupper of St. George. Meklin was one of three people charged in the case. According to investigators, 47-year-old Alan B. Norwood Jr., a St. George lobsterman, paid his sternman, Vincent Hilt, 22, of Vinalhaven, $500 to sink Hupper’s boat. Norwood and Hilt have both pleaded not guilty to criminal charges. Norwood is charged with felony aggravated criminal mischief. Hilt is charged with felony criminal mischief and theft. Read the story here 15:52
Star of reality show ‘Wicked Tuna’ to be sentenced for fraud
A man featured on the reality television show ‘‘Wicked Tuna’’ is scheduled to be sentenced in Vermont on charges he received government disability benefits while he was fishing on the show. Paul Hebert, of Gloucester, Massachusetts, is due in federal court in Burlington on Wednesday. He pleaded guilty earlier this year to charges of Social Security and Medicaid fraud. As part of a plea deal with prosecutors, Hebert agreed to pay more than $53,600 in restitution. Attorneys are recommending probation. Hebert’s attorney has said he filed for the benefits before he got the job on ‘‘Wicked Tuna.’’ The National Geographic Channel show follows several Gloucester-based boats that try to land bluefin tuna, which can weigh hundreds of pounds and fetch tens of thousands of dollars. link 14:44
Mattituck Commercial fisherman pleads in illegal fishing scheme
A commercial fisherman from Mattituck pleaded guilty Thursday to falsifying documents and lying to investigators in connection with a 2011 scheme to illegally harvest fish valued at $78,000, authorities said. James Kaminsky, 74, “systematically cover[ed] up the landing and sale of illegal fluke, scup and black sea bass that were overharvested” in violation of New York quotas and through abuse of a federal research program known as research set-aside, according to the Department of Justice. The scheme took place between May and August of 2011, authorities said. Research set-aside allows fishermen to harvest out of season and exceed quotas, but authorities have branded it a “license to steal” because it has allowed some overfishing without proper reporting. Read the rest here 08:56
$62,500 in fines, fishing prohibitions doled out in Yarmouth County seizure of 6,222 illegal lobsters
The seizure of lobsters by DFO took place on April 27, 2012, in Comeau’s Hill involving the fishing vessel Melanie Lynn II. In provincial court in Yarmouth on Friday, April 17, Earl Patrick Boudreau, 51, and Dennis Joseph Clairmont, 62, pleaded guilty to possession of undersized lobsters measuring less than 82.5 millimetres. At the time of the 2012 seizure DFO said the lobsters had been stored in about two-dozen holding cases and crates. DFO also doesn’t know for certain where they were destined. Read the rest here 16:28
Today, Katsheshuk Fisheries pleaded guilty to two OHS breaches, including failure to provide necessary safety training.
Katsheshuk Fisheries is looking at a hefty fine after a fatal accident aboard the Katsheshuk II. The shrimp boat was enroute to Bay Roberts from the Funk Island Bank in 2012 when two employees were sent to clean the shrimp tank. VOCM’s Lacy O’Connell reports. Read more here, audio report 17:15
Dirty Seafood Dealer taken to the Cleaner – Oyster Thief Indicted – Still Not The Biggest Douche In This Story
BOYCOTT JOE’S LOBSTER MART! – It takes a special kind of douchebag to steal a blue collar working man’s tools. Stealing his oysters sucks for sure, but stealing his ability to continue to make a living is fucking deplorable. That said, the oyster thief is not the biggest douche in this story. That crown goes to Joseph Vaudo. Listen, there will always be shit bags stealing from people. No doubt it’s a shitty thing to do, but this Bryant guy is just a low life who is doing what low life’s do. Vaudo on the other hand,,, Read more here therealcape.com 11:00
