Department of Homeland Security
United States Coast Guard
- District 14

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept. 14, 2006

U.S. COAST GUARD SEIZES FOREIGN FISHING VESSEL ILLEGALLY FISHING IN U.S. WATERS

HONOLULU - The U.S. Coast Guard Saturday seized a foreign fishing vessel for illegally fishing inside the 200 mile U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) at Howland/Baker Islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about 1,700 miles southwest of Honolulu. The Coast Guard Cutter Walnut is currently escorting the fishing vessel Marshalls 201 toward Guam for further action.

A Coast Guard C-130 airplane and crew were on patrol in the Howland/Baker EEZ Saturday when the crew spotted a purse seiner with nets in the water and crew aboard two workboats about two miles inside the EEZ. The aircrew maintained visual contact with the 210-foot Marshalls 201 as the fishing vessel's crew retrieved the nets and workboats.

The 225-foot buoy tender Walnut and crew were diverted to the Marshalls 201 position and also observed the vessel actively fishing. A Coast Guard boarding team conducted an at-sea law enforcement boarding of the fishing vessel and collected evidence of the Marshalls 201's activities. Subsequently, the Coast Guard received permission to seize the catch and vessel for illegally fishing inside the U.S. EEZ. The Marshalls 201 is carrying an estimated 500 metric tons of skipjack tuna valued at about $350,000.

The Walnut's crew will continue to escort the Marshalls 201 with its 36-person crew toward Guam . The Coast Guard Cutter Sequoia and crew, out of Apra Harbor, Guam, will rendezvous with the Walnut and Marshalls 201 to continue the escort. The vessels are expected to transit for several days before arriving in Guam .

An agent with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries Service) was aboard the Coast Guard C-130 airplane when the crew initially sited the Marshalls 201 inside the EEZ. The agent was with the aircrew to provide fisheries knowledge. A second NMFS agent is currently aboard the Cutter Sequoia will continue the joint investigation into the Marshalls 201's fishing activity.

Jurisdiction for this case is set forth in the Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries Act, which establishes the U.S.

Attorney in Guam as the lead authority for prosecution. Possible penalties include forfeiture of the catch and the proceeds from the sale of the catch, forfeiture of the vessel, additional fines and possible confinement for the master.

The master is a Taiwanese citizen, and the crew is made up of Micronesian and People's Republic of China citizens. The Marshalls 201 is a Republic of Marshall Islands-flagged vessel owned by the Marshall Islands Fishing Company.

Editor's Note: video of the Marshalls 201 is available at www.uscghawaii.com.