Department of Commerce
NOAA Fisheries
Office for Law Enforcement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 13, 2003

NOAA SPECIAL AGENT RECEIVES AWARD FROM ATLANTIC STATES MARINE FISHERIES COMMISSION

Special Agent Kevin Flanagan of NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries) Office for Law Enforcement received the 2003 Award of Excellence in Law Enforcement from the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) at the Annual Awards Banquet in Alexandria, VA, on Tuesday, June 10.

The ASMFC recognized the contributions of several outstanding individuals involved the in the conservation and management of Atlantic coastal resources. The ASMFC awarded Special Agent Flanagan and Sergeant Francis Floor of the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management awards for their law enforcement efforts.

Flanagan and Floor exposed the fraudulent activities of a fish dealer's reporting of purchases and sales of summer flounder to the state and federal government during a joint enforcement effort. Their investigation included over 100 instances of illegal activity and involved 13 boats. The culmination of their investigation was a $225,000 civil penalty enforced by NOAA for the fish dealer filing a false report and a $50,000 civil penalty by Rhode Island for 75 counts of illegal sales of summer flounder.

The ASMFC established the Annual Awards of Excellence in 1998 to recognize the contributions of individuals to the success of the organization. Awards are given in the areas of law enforcement, legislation, management and policy, and scientific, technical and advisory contributions.

Flanagan received a Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Biology from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and has been a NOAA Special Agent for 18 years. During his time as a Special Agent, Flanagan has assisted the FBI with the Egyptian Airliner disaster south of Nantucket and anti-terrorism investigations after Sept. 11. Flanagan has also been detailed to many locations, including Alaska, California and the Gulf Coast.