Friday, October 23, 2009

An Exxon Valdez update

In case anybody doubts it, David Oesting, the lead lawyer for thousands of fishermen and other plaintiffs in the Exxon Valdez case, appears to be working his butt off to get his clients paid.

As you'll recall, when we last visited our favorite 20-year court battle, the judge had just ordered a delay in Oesting's plans to distribute close to $300 million in interest payments from Exxon Mobil Corp.

In this eight-page response, Oesting forcefully attempts to explain to the judge that processor Seafood Sales Inc. and a lawyer purporting to represent cannery workers are trying to grab an extra $27.6 million.

Their "dramatic request," if granted, could mean six months of further delay and potentially blow up a complex allocation plan everybody agreed to years ago, Oesting writes.

One other note: The principal behind Seafood Sales is Terry Bertoson. He's also the owner of Sea Hawk Seafoods, which likewise made a play for more cash but was shot down.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

its bs that this is even happening i dont feel sorry for the cannerys its like everyone else in this case never got much to begin with and them holding us up to get paid and for even beeing able to appeal again and again is assine there like crick robbers but cannery crick robbers nobaod is ever saisfied with al of this turmoil that cordova still suffers from and again not a very good fishing season on top of it it needs to end there should be another law that says how many times they can appeal wich they have been denied several times ud think they get a clue its got to be costing them more money then its worth and the fisherman will fight back on that one as will i was a cannery worker when the spilll happened and i never got a dime of it and probably still wont but to continue this on and on it sounds like selfishness to me and to costs more people time and money to end this espiacly when exxon is out of it

Anonymous said...

Berthoson, is an ass. Just a few of us were thair in 89, But NOT Good ol Terry???? I remember it as Ray and Sandy Cesserini. NOT This interloper. Oh And by the way, Isn't he the one who Put Sea Hawk out of business? sounds like he's looking to slide in on the coat-tails of others. Profiting from the mis fortunes of those of us who Were< ACTUAKLLY , fishermen.

FishTaxi said...

I too remember Ray & Nancy Cesserini being owners of SeaHawk Seafoods in Valdez in 1989. I worked for them and so did Hillary Clinton, believe it or not.

In 1989 we all said MAYBE our grandchildren will get paid a settlement from the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill.

Most of the money (settlement)has been spent buying up all the coastline in Alaska so if and when a spill happens again and it hits the beach who do they have to pay?!?

What a mess.

Anonymous said...

right on guys its the truth prince william sound fisherman and people of the prince william sound no how it effected there life and it is not fair of all of this end it and forget about move on its time let us get over it lets hope it doesnt happen again who no we may not get paid as long as the justice system stays the same