Last week brought news of some big enforcement actions against American Seafoods, the top operator of pollock factory trawlers in the Bering Sea.
The company is facing more than $2.7 million in fines for allegedly shorting catch weights, or "essentially stealing fish," in the words of federal authorities.
New cases have been brought involving two of the company's boats, the Ocean Rover and the Northern Eagle. A third case involving the trawler American Dynasty has been pending since early 2012.
Now, just because American Seafoods has been accused doesn't mean it has to simply roll over and pay the weighty fines.
It can try to negotiate them down.
Apparently that's the tack the company is taking.
A NOAA spokeswoman tells Deckboss the matter is now before an administrative law judge.
A hearing was scheduled for March 26 in the American Dynasty case, but the judge vacated the hearing date.
The proceeding was put off "at the request of both parties to give them an opportunity to discuss the potential for a global settlement of all three cases," the spokeswoman said via email.
The judge has ordered NOAA to file periodic status reports, and the parties are trying to reach a settlement by the end of June, the email said.
Showing posts with label violation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label violation. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Monday, May 13, 2013
American Seafoods responds
American Seafoods issued this statement regarding federal charges that two of the company's factory trawlers underweighed catches of Alaska pollock:
We confirm that we've received two Notices of Violation and Assessments, or NOVAs, proposing civil penalties related to alleged inaccurate flow scale readings on two of our catcher/processor vessels. We are reviewing the NOVAs and related information to better understand the bases for the allegations. American Seafoods takes seriously its commitment to sustainable fishing practices and has cooperated fully with NOAA in investigating these matters. The company intends to respond to the allegations contained in the NOVAs after it has completed its review.
We confirm that we've received two Notices of Violation and Assessments, or NOVAs, proposing civil penalties related to alleged inaccurate flow scale readings on two of our catcher/processor vessels. We are reviewing the NOVAs and related information to better understand the bases for the allegations. American Seafoods takes seriously its commitment to sustainable fishing practices and has cooperated fully with NOAA in investigating these matters. The company intends to respond to the allegations contained in the NOVAs after it has completed its review.
American Seafoods in more hot water; flow scale violations amounted to 'stealing fish,' feds say
Federal authorities today issued a press release that says in part:
On May 8, 2013, American Seafoods Company and the owners and operators of the catcher/processors Ocean Rover and Northern Eagle were charged by NOAA’s Office of General Counsel for tampering with the equipment used for weighing Alaska pollock. Pollock on these vessels are processed for many uses, from frozen fish sticks and imitation crab to roe and fish oil.
The respondents in these cases are alleged to have adjusted their flow scales to record lower weights, and then recorded these inaccurate weights in their logbooks in violation of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and the American Fisheries Act.
Flow scales are used to ensure accurate catch accounting. Adjusting the equipment to record a lower weight allowed the vessels to go over their quotas, essentially stealing fish from others permitted in the Alaska pollock fishery.
These are not the first cases of their kind. NOAA’s Office of General Counsel issued a Notice of Violation and Assessment (NOVA) in January 2012 for similar violations alleged to have occurred on another American Seafoods Company catcher/processor, the American Dynasty. The penalty being sought in this pending case is $543,500. In the Ocean Rover case, NOAA’s Office of General Counsel issued a NOVA proposing an assessed penalty of $848,000; in the Northern Eagle case, General Counsel issued a NOVA proposing an assessed penalty of $1,337,000.
On May 8, 2013, American Seafoods Company and the owners and operators of the catcher/processors Ocean Rover and Northern Eagle were charged by NOAA’s Office of General Counsel for tampering with the equipment used for weighing Alaska pollock. Pollock on these vessels are processed for many uses, from frozen fish sticks and imitation crab to roe and fish oil.
The respondents in these cases are alleged to have adjusted their flow scales to record lower weights, and then recorded these inaccurate weights in their logbooks in violation of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and the American Fisheries Act.
Flow scales are used to ensure accurate catch accounting. Adjusting the equipment to record a lower weight allowed the vessels to go over their quotas, essentially stealing fish from others permitted in the Alaska pollock fishery.
These are not the first cases of their kind. NOAA’s Office of General Counsel issued a Notice of Violation and Assessment (NOVA) in January 2012 for similar violations alleged to have occurred on another American Seafoods Company catcher/processor, the American Dynasty. The penalty being sought in this pending case is $543,500. In the Ocean Rover case, NOAA’s Office of General Counsel issued a NOVA proposing an assessed penalty of $848,000; in the Northern Eagle case, General Counsel issued a NOVA proposing an assessed penalty of $1,337,000.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
More on Fuglvog
Deckboss just received the following statement from U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski's office:
Aug. 2, 2011
Murkowski statement on Arne Fuglvog
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Lisa Murkowski reacts to news that Arne Fuglvog violated a fishing regulation before he joined her staff:
"Prior to joining my staff, Arne Fuglvog violated a fishing regulation by misstating the location where he caught sablefish. I accepted his resignation Sunday, and he will plead guilty to this charge as part of a plea agreement.
"Arne served Alaskans for the past five years on my staff and for over a decade before that in his public service work in fisheries. I thank him for his years of service, but he knows the importance and value of our fisheries, and he also knows what all fishermen understand: fishing laws and regulations must be followed.
"Arne has cooperated fully with the authorities, taken responsibility for his actions, and accepted the consequences."
Aug. 2, 2011
Murkowski statement on Arne Fuglvog
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Lisa Murkowski reacts to news that Arne Fuglvog violated a fishing regulation before he joined her staff:
"Prior to joining my staff, Arne Fuglvog violated a fishing regulation by misstating the location where he caught sablefish. I accepted his resignation Sunday, and he will plead guilty to this charge as part of a plea agreement.
"Arne served Alaskans for the past five years on my staff and for over a decade before that in his public service work in fisheries. I thank him for his years of service, but he knows the importance and value of our fisheries, and he also knows what all fishermen understand: fishing laws and regulations must be followed.
"Arne has cooperated fully with the authorities, taken responsibility for his actions, and accepted the consequences."
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