Tag Archives: whistleblowers
Galveston business entangled in net of fraud allegations and whistleblowers
A shrimp business and former market that has been a cornerstone of Galveston for more than 45 years is in the muck, as it and its parent company are mired in a number of lawsuits alleging everything from fraud to shorting an employee. Galveston Shrimp Company was founded in 1978 by Sicilian immigrant Rosario Cassarino. For nearly 20 years, Rosario and wife Giovanna sold fish and shrimp that was brought onto the island. Their son Nello Cassarino assumed a leadership role in Galveston Shrimp Co. in 1994, and in 2011 he re-formed the company under the umbrella of Pacific Seafood, a family-owned market and business out of Portland, Ore. But now there’s a rift between Cassarino and Pacific Seafood, which owns 80 percent of Galveston Shrimp Co. According to ongoing litigation as reported by the Galveston Daily News, Cassarino is suing Pacific Seafood for $1 million, accusing the company of shorting him on revenue and self-dealing. Cassarino originally filed the lawsuit in Texas in 2023, but a judge moved the suit to Oregon. More, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:04
At Sea Observer – Whistleblowers say workplace abuse hides true impacts of B.C.’s trawl fishery
Under the at-sea observer program, observers are required to estimate bycatch on ships, often while mountains of fish are being dumped on deck and unwanted species are being thrown overboard. Observers are also expected to take biological samples and count and assess the condition of prohibited species, which can include valuable fish like halibut, all while staying out of the way.In early April, the Fisheries and Oceans Canada suddenly ordered the observers off the boats for 45 days due to safety concerns around COVID-19. >click to read< 12:50
