Kodiak Processor Pays Penalty for Illegal Fish Purchases & Failure to Obtain Observer Coverage

November 5, 2004

Release from:
NOAA

Last week, NOAA's Office for Law Enforcement last week settled a $71,000 Notice of Violation and Assessment (NOVA), with the manager and owner of Global Seafoods in Kodiak, Alaska for violations of the Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries Conservation and Management Act.

Global Seafoods North America, LLC settled the NOVA with the Federal government for failing to have a required NOAA Fisheries-certified groundfish observer on site during a number of days during the first quarter of 2004, and for purchasing approximately 22,000 pounds of groundfish in violation of Gulf of Alaska Maximum Retainable Amounts (MRAs).

NOAA Fisheries-certified groundfish observers play a vital role in providing fisheries and other marine resources data to NOAA Fisheries. This data is critical to the management of Alaska’s marine resources.

Groundfish retention regulations allow Alaska commercial fishermen to retain up to the MRA of groundfish species caught incidentally to targeted fish. This ‘bycatch allowance’ provides greater utilization of Alaska’s fisheries resources. Groundfish processors must report to the OLE all deliveries that exceed bycatch MRAs.

"Protecting observers, insuring the integrity of the data collection process and enforcing observer coverage requirements are high priorities of the Alaska Enforcement Division of NOAA Fisheries," said Special Agent Nathan Lagerwey, NOAA Fisheries Office for Law Enforcement – Alaska Division.