Department of Commerce
National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration
NOAA Fisheries Service
- Alaska Regional Office
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 22, 2000
CONTACT: |
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Carol Tocco,
PAO
(907) 586-7032
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Statement by Dale Jones; Chief
Office for Law Enforcement
National Marine Fisheries Service
On September 15, 2000, representatives of the At-Sea Processors
Association notified NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service Alaska
Enforcement Division of the Office for Law Enforcement that eleven
catcher-processor vessels may have violated the regulation implementing
the August 7, 2000 court injunction by U.S. District Court Judge
Thomas Zilly prohibiting fishing in Steller sea lion critical habitat.
The At-sea Processor Association's attorneys advised Alaska enforcement
officials that a number of vessels had inadvertently fished in
critical habitat areas surrounding Steller sea lion haulouts on
St. Paul and St. George Islands, in violation of the interim regulation.
(St. Paul and St. George Islands are part of the Pribilof Island
group located approximately 230 nautical miles northwest of the
Alaska peninsula in the Central Bering Sea.) According to the attorneys
for the association, the alleged incursions took place between
August 8 and early September.
Department of Justice attorneys apprised Judge Zilly of the notification
and that the Office for Law Enforcement was investigating this
matter. NOAA Fisheries on September 19 issued a Sustainable Fisheries
Information Bulletin (#00-86) and transmitted it via NOAA Weather
Radio reminding all fishers that "all groundfish trawl fishing
within Steller sea lion critical habitat west of 144W longitude
is prohibited."
In addition, on September 20, 2000, representatives of United
Catcher Boats and Westward Seafoods notified Judge Zilly that three
additional vessels fished for pollock inside the critical habitat
area surrounding the haulout on St. George Island.
Alaska Enforcement Division personnel are investigating the allegations
and expect to provide a progress report to the court within the
next few days. Completion of the full investigation is expected
to take several more weeks due to the need to interview appropriate
witnesses and gather evidence.
Judge Zilly's court order was imposed in ongoing litigation that
challenges federal management of commercial groundfish fishing
in Alaska, and its effect upon Steller sea lions. ( Greenpeace,
et. al. v. National Marine Fisheries Service, Civ. No. C98-0492Z
(W.D. Wash. 1998)) Following the court order, on August 8, NOAA
Fisheries issued a news release to the media, distributed a Sustainable
Fisheries Information Bulletin (#00-72) and transmitted information
via NOAA Weather Radio informing fishers of the fishing areas affected
by the court order.
The government views this matter as one of grave importance. The
Office for Law Enforcement is determined to take measures to achieve
compliance with the agency's regulation.
For additional information regarding the areas closed to groundfish
trawl fishing, refer to the interim rule published in the Federal
Register (65 FR 49766, August 15, 2000).
The interim rule and further information on the groundfish trawl
closure is available at www.fakr.noaa.gov.
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