NOAA Fisheries News Releases
NEWS RELEASE
June 1, 2000
Joe McCabe, Office of General Counsel
(907) 586-7414
Carol Tocco, Public Affairs
(907) 586-7032
SEIZED FISHING VESSEL TO BE SOLD BY UNITED STATES
The fifty-two foot fishing vessel (F/V) NINE, forfeited by Lloyd Collins of Kenai, Alaska for using the vessel to illegally harvest and retain halibut, will be sold by public auction on June 13, 2000, announced NOAA's Office of General Counsel and National Marine Fisheries Service. The public auction will begin at 1:00 p.m. AST, in room 153 of the United States District Courthouse, 222 West 7th Avenue, Anchorage, Alaska. The vessel will be sold to the highest and best bidder.
The F/V NINE is now located at the Cook Inlet Processing Yard in Kenai, Alaska. Interested persons may arrange with Gary Gailbreath, Deputy Special Agent-in-Charge of the Alaska Enforcement Division of the National Marine Fisheries Service, to board, inspect, examine or survey the vessel on June 12, 2000, between 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., AST. Any such boarding and inspection shall be done at the sole expense and risk of the person making the inspection. Gailbreath can be reached at (907) 271-3026.
There is no minimum starting bid for the vessel. Bidding may be made in increments of $500.00 or more. The successful bidder must pay NOAA at least 10% of the amount of his or her bid upon acceptance of the bid and must pay the balance of the bid within 10 days thereafter (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays). If the successful bidder fails to pay the balance of the bid within the 10 days, the deposit may be forfeited and applied to the costs of this action. Payment must be made in cash, cashier's or certified check(s) drawn on a United States Financial Institution and made payable to "U.S. Department of Commerce".
NOAA representatives will accept a written, sealed bid that is accompanied by payment of not less than 10% of the amount of the bid, if the bid is received by NOAA representatives (United States Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Office of General Counsel, P.O. Box 21109, Juneau, Alaska, 99802-1109, attn: F/V NINE) not later than 4:00 p.m. AST on the day prior to the auction.
Under current documentation regulations, forfeited vessels may be eligible for U.S. Certificate of Documentation and/or a fishery endorsement provided other applicable eligibility requirements are met (i.e., citizenship, etc.). Potential buyers can contact the National Vessel Documentation Center (NVDC) for information concerning their qualification for U.S. Certificate of Documentation and/or a fisheries endorsement. The NVDC can be reached at (800) 799-8362. Potential buyers with questions regarding the vessel's eligibility for participating in Alaska fisheries should also contact the licensing offices of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and the National Marine Fisheries Service.
Further information concerning the F/V NINE, including photographs and a recent condition and valuation survey, can be found on the National Marine Fisheries Service, Alaska Region's Internet web page at http://www.fakr.noaa.gov.