Department of Commerce
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NOAA Fisheries Service
- Office for Law Enforcement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 12, 2006

NOAA ISSUES ADDITIONAL $10,000 PENALTY TO TEXAS CHARTER OPERATION FOR ILLEGAL FISHING

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Office of General Counsel for Enforcement and Litigation issued the owner/operator of the fishing vessel (FV) Murphy’s Law a $10,000 Notice of Violation and Assessment (NOVA) and a 15 day Notice of Permit Sanction (NOPS).

On January 27, 2005, NOAA Fisheries Service Office for Law Enforcement (OLE) Special Agents in cooperation with the United States Coast Guard Cutter (USCGC) Steelhead and USCG Corpus Christi Aviation Wing performed an enforcement operation in the Gulf of Mexico off the shore of South Padre Island, Texas. The FV Murphy’s Law was spotted by USCG aircraft actively fishing during closed season in the Federal Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The FV Murphy’s Law was subsequently boarded by OLE special agents from the USCG Cutter Steelhead. During the boarding it was determined that the captain of the “headboat,” Stephen Murphy, had allowed all twenty-two patrons aboard to illegally catch and retain red snapper in and from federal waters during the closed red snapper season.

The season for recreational fishing of red snapper in the EEZ is from April 21 to November 1. The EEZ defines federal waters and spans from 9 miles off the coast of Texas to 200 miles.

The South Padre Island-based charter operation is also pending an $80,000 NOVA for illegal sales of red snapper. The owner/operator has 30 days from the time of receiving the NOVA and NOPS to request a hearing in front of an Administrative Law Judge to contest the charges, assessments and sanctions.

To report illegal fishing activities contact the NOAA Fisheries Service’s Enforcement Hot Line at 800-853-1964.

NOAA Fisheries’ primary mission is to protect and conserve our nation’s living marine resources - this includes most species of marine mammals (whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals and sea lions). Additional information about NOAA Fisheries Service’s marine mammal viewing guidelines and regulations can be found at: www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/education/viewing.htm

NOAA, an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce, is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and providing environmental stewardship of the nation's coastal and marine resources.