Sunday, January 30, 2011

Troopers pinch two Kodiak crabbers

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Kodiak
Type: Undersized crab
On 1/22/11 George Sargent, 26, was cited by Kodiak Wildlife Troopers for retaining undersized Tanner crab taken during the Kodiak area commercial Tanner crab season.

Location: Kodiak
Type: Undersized crab
On 1/22/11 Howard Peterson, 54, was cited by Kodiak Wildlife Troopers for retaining undersized Tanner crab taken in the Kodiak District commercial season.

Friday, January 28, 2011

Assault on Bering Sea crab boat investigated

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Bristol Bay
Type: Assault
On 12/15/10 the Alaska Bureau of Wildlife Enforcement in Dutch Harbor was notified by the Unalaska Police Department that Joshua J. Stedman reported being physically assaulted onboard the F/V Arctic Lady by another crew member while the vessel was out at sea crab fishing in the Bristol Bay area. Stedman was seriously injured and subsequently received medical treatment. A suspect has been identified, and the Anchorage Service Unit is continuing the investigation.

Troopers dispense tickets to geoduck harvesters

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Craig
Type: Tagging violation
On 1/27/11 Alaska Wildlife Troopers contacted and summonsed Marc Reynolds, 54, of Ketchikan, aboard the F/V Tsunami for failing to properly tag his containers of commercially harvested geoducks. A mandatory court appearance was set for 2/11/11 in Craig District Court.

Location: Craig
Type: Tagging violation
On 1/27/11 Alaska Wildlife Troopers contacted and summonsed Jeremy Leighton, 40, of Ketchikan, aboard the F/V Reliance for failing to properly tag his containers of commercially harvested geoducks. A mandatory court appearance was set for 2/11/11 in Craig District Court.

Location: Craig
Type: Sticker
On 1/27/11 Alaska Wildlife Troopers contacted and cited Jason McGinley, 37, of Ketchikan, for failing to have a current Alaska Department of Fish and Game sticker attached to the vessel's number plate while commercial diving for geoducks onboard the F/V Clearlight. A citation was issued with a bail of $110 and an optional court appearance was set for 2/11/11 in Craig District Court.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Kodiak fisherman sentenced for observer threats

From the U.S. attorney's office in Anchorage:

Jan. 27, 2011

Kodiak fisherman sentenced for threatening an observer

ANCHORAGE — U.S. Attorney Karen Loeffler announced today that a commercial fisherman based in Kodiak was sentenced in federal court in Anchorage for violating the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act by threatening a fisheries observer.

On Jan. 11, Jeffrey Eugene Scott, 45, a resident of Kodiak, was sentenced by U.S. Magistrate Judge Deborah M. Smith to three years probation, with strict conditions to control his interactions with fisheries observers. He will also serve 100 hours of community service and be evaluated for anger management treatment.

Scott's conviction followed his pleas of guilty to two misdemeanor counts.

According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder, Scott was operator of the fishing vessel Dusk and was being investigated for dumping 75 tons of fish in Kodiak Harbor on Oct. 7, 2009.

On that day, Scott saw the fisheries observer assigned to his vessel attempting to depart the North Pacific Seafoods facility in Kodiak. He charged the vehicle she was in, pounded on the car, pointed and screamed at her using foul language, then yelled, "I'm gonna get you."

Later the same day, in a meeting with law enforcement officers, Scott stated that if he saw the observer in town, not acting in her official capacity, he could do whatever he wanted to her.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Office of Law Enforcement, Alaska Enforcement Division (Kodiak office) conducted the investigation leading to the conviction in this case.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Troopers make a pair of crabbing cases

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Kodiak
Type: Commercial fish closed area
On 1/21/11 Walter Sargent, 73, was cited by Kodiak Wildlife Troopers for commercial fishing for Tanner crab in Kaiugnak Bay after the area had closed to commercial Tanner crab fishing.

Location: Chignik
Type: Gear violation
On 1/17/11 Kodiak Wildlife Troopers aboard the patrol vessel
Woldstad were inspecting the fishing vessel Alaskan Frontier's gear at sea when it was discovered that the operator and permit holder, Alfredo S. Aboueid, 64, of Chignik Lagoon, was fishing pots configured to catch Tanner crab as well as a pot configured to catch cod. Aboueid admitted fishing the one pot configured to catch cod while validly registered and actively fishing in the Chignik Tanner crab fishery. Aboueid was issued a citation with arraignment set for 2/25/11 in Naknek District Court.

Monday, January 24, 2011

Dutch Harbor report

From the local police blotter:

Theft, Jan. 17 — Alaska Ship Supply employee reported the theft of a pair of shoes from the store, by a man known to work on a local fishing vessel. Under investigation.

Assist other agency, Jan. 17 — Caller reported a crewman had died on a fishing vessel, north of St. Paul. An officer provided the caller with contact information for the other agencies with jurisdiction over that area.

Suspicious activity, Jan. 19 — Officers investigated an anonymous report that an Alaska Department of Fish and Game employee had accepted money for performing a mandatory inspection on a crab fishing vessel. Under investigation.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Halibut guide draws jail time for repeat offense

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Jan. 19, 2011

Ninilchik sportfishing guide's license revoked, jail imposed

HOMER — Arthur C. Aho, a halibut sportfishing guide working out of Ninilchik, was sentenced by District Court Judge Margret Murphy on Jan. 18, 2011, for illegal acts committed while working as a sportfishing guide. Aho was sentenced on two counts of aiding a sportfishing client in the commission of a violation, one count of waste of fish, one count of falsifying his sportfishing guide logbook and one count of retaining a halibut while working as a sportfishing guide with paying clients onboard.

On July 10, 2009, Aho guided two Alaska Wildlife Troopers, acting in a covert capacity, on a halibut fishing trip booked through Ninilchik Saltwater Charters & Lodge. While on the guided sportfishing trip, Aho aided one client in retaining a total of five halibut and a second client in retaining a total of three halibut, in violation of both federal and Alaska state laws. After retaining a total of 12 halibut, Aho allowed the six clients to continue fishing for a larger halibut. When one was caught, he instructed his deckhand to throw back a smaller halibut that had been lying on the deck for 40 minutes. Aho actively fished during the trip and one of the halibut hooked by Aho was retained for his clients. Aho also falsified his sportfishing guide logbook by indicating that the six clients caught two halibut each.

Aho was previously convicted in August of 2006 for aiding a client in the commission of a sportfishing violation during a guided sportfishing trip in 2005. The facts of the 2005 case were nearly identical. In the 2005 case, Alaska Wildlife Troopers booked a covert fishing trip with Catch-A-Lot Charters and Aho was their assigned sportfishing guide. During the tip, Aho allowed one client to hook and retain four halibut and a second client to hook and retain three halibut. Judge Murphy sentenced Aho in that offense to a fine of $5,000 with $4,000 suspended, 30 days in jail with all 30 days suspended and one year of informal probation.

At the sentencing on Jan. 18, 2011, the state argued that sportfishing guides like Mr. Aho, who are given the privilege to make a living off of the resources of this state, act as stewards of the resource as opposed to violators of sport fish and game laws. The people of the state of Alaska should not have to rely upon troopers conducting covert activities to ensure that such guides comply with fish and game laws.

Judge Murphy imposed a composite sentence on the five counts of 90 days in jail with 80 days suspended, a fine of $5,000, 40 hours of community work service and six years of informal probation. Judge Murphy also revoked Mr. Aho's sportfish guide licenses and prohibited him from purchasing a new sportfish guide license for a period of two years. This sentence was crafted to not only deter Mr. Aho from committing similar future violations, but to also deter others from within the community by making it clear that repeated violations of sport fish and game laws, especially those committed for commercial gain, will result in the revocation of one's privileges to work within the guiding industry.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Dutch Harbor report

From the local police blotter:

Public safety, Jan. 12 — Orca photos were discovered on various electrical boxes around the city.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Southeast lodge nets $10,000 fine, probation

The Alaska State Troopers today issued the following press release:

Jan. 13, 2011

Alaska lodge guilty of sale of sport fish

JUNEAU — The Doc Warner's lodge near Juneau received a sentence today following a multiagency investigation beginning in the summer of 2009.

Doc Warner's lodge is an Alaskan limited liability corporation. Investigators with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration did an undercover operation at the lodge in 2009. Investigators were fed sport-caught fish as a part of the paid package during their stay. Employees of Doc Warner's admitted that fish fed to clients was sport-caught by other clients and/or employees.

Alaska law provides that no person may buy, sell or barter sport-caught fish or their parts. A violation of this law is punishable as a class A misdemeanor offense and a corporation that violates this law may be punished by a fine of up to $200,000 per offense.

NOAA turned the investigation over to state authorities for further investigation by Alaska Wildlife Troopers and prosecution by the Office of Special Prosecutions and Appeals.

The Office of Special Prosecutions charged Doc Warner’s Alaska Fishing Inc. with four counts of sale of sport-caught fish for the years 2006-2009.

On Jan. 13, 2009, the corporation entered a guilty plea to one consolidated charge of sale of sport-caught fish in violation of 5 AAC 75.015.

Judge Nave imposed the agreed upon sentence of a fine of $40,000 with $30,000 suspended, informal probation for a period of two years, with the conditions that the corporation commit no new law violations, including fish and game offenses.

Troopers cite sablefish harvester at Kodiak

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Kodiak
Type: Failure to register
On 1/13/11 Barry L. McKee, 62, of Sitka, was cited by Wildlife Troopers in Kodiak for failing to register his commercial sablefish permit prior to engaging in the fishery. McKee was given an arraignment date of 1/25/11 in Sitka District Court.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Teen misses commercial fishing trip, turns up dead

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Anchor Point
Type: Death investigation
On 1/10/11 at 1642 hours, troopers were notified that Alex Martushev, 19, of Wasilla, had not returned from a visit to the Homer area and he missed a commercial fishing trip from the Homer area. An aerial search of the area where Martushev was last seen resulted in his recovery. There were no signs of foul play. Martushev's family has been notified. The investigation is ongoing.

Monday, January 10, 2011

Dutch Harbor report

From the local police blotter:

Criminal mischief, Jan. 2 — Hotel guest left behind a heavily damaged hotel room. Hotel management asked that the guest, who had recently checked out of the hotel, be advised he was no longer welcome on UniSea property.

Welfare check, Jan. 2 — Fishing vessel captain reported that a former employee had not been seen for several days and had left a number of valuable items, including his wallet and identification, on board the vessel. Under investigation.

Fire response, Jan. 6 — Fire and EMS personnel responded to OSI regarding a report of a fire on board the F/V Frontier Spirit. The crew of the vessel extinguished the fire before emergency responders arrived.

Suspicious activity, Jan. 6 — Long-time resident reported hearing strange noises outside his house. Officers responded and heard the not uncommon sounds of high wind and heavy rain.

Fire safety, Jan. 8 — Fire and EMS personnel conducted an emergency response drill in cooperation with Shell Oil.

Friday, January 7, 2011

Shrimper nets $3,000 fine for illegal pot storage

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Juneau
Type: Update — illegal storage of shrimp pots
On 1/4/11 Dennis J. Capua, 56, of Juneau, was found guilty of one count of illegal storage of commercial shrimp pots. Investigation showed Capua had failed to remove approximately 88 commercial shrimp pots out of Endicott Arm south of Juneau after the closure of the district to commercial shrimping. Capua was given a $6,000 fine
with $3,000 suspended. Capua will be on probation for one year and is not to commit any fish or wildlife violations.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Dutch Harbor report

From the local police blotter:

Motor vehicle damage, Dec. 26 — UniSea staff reported a company vehicle had damage to the bumper, hood and passenger quarter panel, presumably by a hit-and-run driver. Under investigation.

Drunk disturbance, Dec. 28, 0036 hours — Officers responded to a report of a fight in progress at the Harbor View bar, only to find that most of the participants had dispersed.

Trespass, Dec. 28, 0059 hours — Two of those involved in a fight at the Harbor View bar were issued trespass advisements per UniSea management.

Trespass, Jan. 1 — Captain returned to his vessel to find it in a state of disarray, in spite of his having left it in the care of two trusted crewmen. One of the crewmen had decided he'd simply rather not stay on the boat, and the other disappeared soon after reporting to police that a missile-laden submarine was sinking in Captains Bay. The captain stated that the damages would be withheld from the appropriate crewman's pay, and asked that a trespass advisement be issued if the man could be found.

Public safety, Jan. 2 — The city of Unalaska was without power for several hours, resulting in automated intrusion or fire alarms being activated.