NOAA Fisheries Office for Law Enforcement
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 1, 2004
CONTACT: |
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Mark Oswell
(301) 427-2300
Garland Walker
(907) 586-7414 |
KODIAK PROCESSOR PAYS PENALTY FOR ILLEGAL FISH PURCHASES AND FAILURE TO OBTAIN OBSERVER COVERAGE
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office
of General Counsel for Enforcement and Litigation settled a $71,000
Notice of Violation and Assessment (NOVA), assessed to the manager
and owner of Global Seafoods in Kodiak, Alaska for violations of
the Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries Conservation and Management Act.
NOAA is an agency of the Department of Commerce.
On Oct. 25, 2004, Donna Jones, Oleg Nikitenko and 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.
NOAA Fisheries is dedicated to protecting and preserving our nation’s
living marine resources through scientific research, management,
law enforcement, and the conservation of marine mammals and other
protected marine species and their habitat.
The Commerce Department’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) is dedicated to enhancing economic security
and national safety through the predication and research of weather
and climate-related events and providing environmental stewardship
of our nation’s coastal and marine resources.
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