Department of Commerce NOAA Fisheries
Office for Law Enforcement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 11, 2001

NOAA FISHERIES HELPS BOOST SOUTH CAROLINA FISHERIES PATROLS

NOAA's National Marine Fisheries has announced a new $500,000 allocation for cooperative enforcement. The new funds, being provided by the Commerce Department Agency, will help strengthen the patrols of fisheries along the South Carolina coastline. The new allocation will also help protect the region's other marine resources.

Dale Jones, chief of NOAA Fisheries Office for Law Enforcement, said the funding will extend the joint enforcement agreement between NOAA and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, enabling the state to continue its offshore patrols for compliance with federal fishing regulations for mackerel, snapper-grouper, and pelagic fish such as shark, dolphin, marlin, swordfish and tuna.

"For the past three years NOAA and the state have been building a unique partnership that has fostered more contact between law enforcement personnel, recreational fishermen and boaters along the South Carolina coastline," Jones said. "Providing fast, modern patrol vessels and additional officers to the South Carolina enforcement personnel has resulted in increased protection of living marine resources."

The funding will allow patrol vessels and personnel to conduct 2,500 patrol hours and 1,750 dockside inspection hours in support of various federal marine protection regulations, including the Endangered Species Act, and turtle excluder device, or TED, regulations. Outreach efforts to educate the public about the importance of the marine environment also will be supported.

The funding also will assist with training and equipping the Department of Natural Resources' patrol officers and maintaining three patrol boats until the end of the year.