Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Two Sitka salmon seiners cited

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Deep Inlet
Type: Commercial fish closed period
On 9/20/13 Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Sitka Post, cited Jasper P. Allbrett, 33, of Sitka, for commercial salmon seining during a closed period. The F/V El Dorado was documented fishing on 8/29/13 in waters of District 13 not open to seining and outside of the line at the Deep Inlet terminal harvest area. Allbrett is the permit holder and operator onboard the F/V El Dorado. Arraignment set in Sitka District Court.

Location: Deep Inlet
Type: Commercial fish closed period
On 9/20/13 Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Sitka Post, cited Dale A. Bartelds, 46, of Sitka, for commercial salmon seining during a closed period. The F/V Hukilau was documented fishing on 8/29/13 in waters of District 13 not open to seining and outside of a line at the Deep Inlet terminal harvest area. Bartelds is the permit holder and operator onboard the F/V Hukilau. Arraignment set in Sitka District Court.

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Dutch Harbor report

From the local police blotter:

Drunk disturbance, Sept. 15 — Officers responded to a local dock and contacted two extremely inebriated fishermen, one of whom had recent cuts and scrapes and neither of whom was particularly forthcoming regarding how those scrapes came to be. After having been told numerous stories about being blindfolded and/or having been attacked by a gang of thugs of various ethnicities, officers determined the injured inebriate had likely simply fallen down.

Civil, Sept. 16 — Caller reported he had been fired from his job, kicked out of company housing, had nowhere to go and was likely to freeze to death this night. An officer advised the man that his complaint against his employer was best handled in civil court.

Environmental, Sept. 20, 1634 hours — High winds flipped an aluminum skiff docked near the small-boat harbor. The owner was notified.

Environmental, Sept. 20, 1704 hours — High winds continued to wreak havoc on unsecured items, this time blowing a Port-O-Let into the harbor near City Dock. Ports Department was notified.

Ambulance request, Sept. 21 — EMS personnel responded to the airport to receive four fishermen who were being brought in by U.S. Coast Guard helicopter.

Sunday, September 22, 2013

Metlakatla gillnetter charged with fishing illegally

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Nichols Passage
Type: Multiple violations
On 9/17/13 Ketchikan Wildlife Troopers filed formal charges against Richard H. Dundas, 48, of Metlakatla, for drift gillnetting for salmon with no Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission permit, fishing in a closed period, and unlawful possession of fish. Dundas was observed commercial fishing on 8/29/13 in Nichols Passage of District 1F. He has a mandatory appearance in Ketchikan District Court.

Saturday, September 21, 2013

Troopers cite Petersburg salmon seiner

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Hidden Falls
Type: Commercial fish closed area
On 9/17/13 Alaska Wildlife Troopers cited Kevin M. Granberg, 46, of Petersburg, for commercial salmon seining onboard the F/V Aleshaley in an area not open to commercial seine gear. Investigation by Petersburg and Sitka Wildlife Troopers showed that Granberg was seining more than two miles from the nearest open area. The catch subsequently was reported in an open area and fish retained for personal use were not reported on a fish ticket. Arraignment set for 10/8/13 in Sitka District Court.

Criminal complaint lodged against processor Favco

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Ugashik
Type: Fail to register before purchase of fish
On 8/27/13 King Salmon Wildlife Troopers learned that Favco, an Anchorage-based seafood processing company, may have purchased commercially caught fish without first reporting its intent to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Investigation confirmed this information, which resulted in a two-count criminal complaint being filed. On 9/13/13 William G. Buck, 53, of Anchorage, a manager at Favco, was issued a summons to appear in Naknek District Court. Arraignment set for 10/28/13.

Friday, September 20, 2013

Charter crewman charged with keeping halibut

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Clover Bay, Prince of Wales Island
Type: Fish and game violations
On 9/13/13 Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Ketchikan Post, filed formal charges against Austin S. Duckworth, 20, of Ketchikan, for working as a crewmember on a sportfish charter vessel and illegally retaining sport-caught halibut. In addition, Duckworth was charged for feeding black bears intentionally. He has a mandatory court appearance on 9/30/13 in Craig District Court.

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Dutch Harbor report

From the local police blotter:

Harassment, Sept. 8 — A woman reported being followed in the bar by another woman who, when confronted, brandished some bear spray in a challenging manner. Investigating officers found no witnesses to the event but were able to verify the existence of prior problems between the two women.

Noise disturbance, Sept. 8 — Anonymous caller reported loud music in a residential area. The responding officer patrolled the area and heard no music, only the rumbling of tugboats working at the dock.

Drunk disturbance, Sept. 8 — Officers responded to a bunkhouse, where an inebriate had passed out. After a lengthy, garbled conversation with the drunk, officers were able to determine the name of the man's boat. The drunk eventually was turned over to his captain.

Suspicious person, Sept. 8 — An inebriated man darted in front of a patrol car while waving and performing a jig, then sprinted away for a short distance before sitting on the curb and waiting for the officer. The inebriate was able to tell the officer only that he was having an off day and was eventually turned over to a group of sober friends who happened to pass by.

Theft, Sept. 9 — An officer responded to a factory trawler regarding a report that an iPhone and iPod had been stolen from a stateroom. Several people were identified as possible suspects but no evidence was uncovered to identify the culprit. The victim did not wish to press charges and was satisfied with her employer's offer to replace the stolen items.

Suspicious person, Sept. 10 — A man who two nights earlier had been dancing in front of a patrol car was reported to be shaving on the roof of a business. After conversing briefly with the man the responding officer requested an ambulance and a mental health evaluation.

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Two king salmon trollers fined

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Petersburg
Type: Sentencing
On 9/10/13 Harlan F. Freeman, 75, of Petersburg, pled guilty in Petersburg District Court to one count of retaining an undersized commercial troll-caught king salmon. Freeman was fined $500 and ordered to pay $150 restitution. The previously seized king salmon was forfeited.

Location: Sitka
Type: Sentencing
On 9/9/13 Denis R. Douglas, 62, of Soldotna, pled guilty to one count of possessing king salmon on a commercial troll vessel during a closed period. Douglas was fined $1,000 with $500 suspended and placed on probation for one year. Douglas was the permit holder onboard the F/V Splice.

Monday, September 9, 2013

Dutch Harbor report

From the local police blotter:

Public safety, Aug. 27 — Caller reported an intoxicated male at the Unalaska visitor center. Officers responded and contacted the subject who said he was trying to purchase an Alaska flag. Officer advised the subject to go home and return when he sobered up. Subject complied.

Environmental, Aug. 27 — Caller reported several individuals molesting salmon in Iliuliuk Creek. Officers responded and determined the subjects to be Chinese foreign nationals. The individuals were advised that they could not molest the salmon and a fishing license was needed to fish in Alaska. The individuals were not familiar with regulations concerning fishing in Alaska, apologized for their actions and vacated the area.

Trespass, Sept. 1, 0224 hours — Officer issued a trespass advisement, per UniSea security, to two people who were "out for an adventure" and found themselves on the roof of UniSea's G2 plant. The two left the area without incident.

Assault, Sept. 3, 0404 hours — Caller reported an altercation at a local seafood processing plant. Archie Sibayan Ochinang, 31, of Unalaska, was arrested for assault.

Assault, Sept. 3, 0656 hours — Caller reported a domestic disturbance at a local seafood processing plant. Donn M. Griffin, 58, of Unalaska, was arrested for domestic violence assault.

Suspicious activity, Sept. 3 — Caller reported finding a bloody sweatshirt in some bushes. Officers responded and observed the sweatshirt with a heavy presence of fish scales, slime and blood and determined the sweatshirt had been discarded after someone had used it to clean fish.

Suspicious activity, Sept. 5 — Caller reported receiving a threatening letter in his boot. Officers responded and determined the letter in the boot was meant for someone else. All parties agreed to be civil.

Animal, Sept. 5 — Caller reported a deceased eagle on the road. Alaska State Troopers notified and advised they would respond.

Fire response, Sept. 5 — Caller reported her sister was unable to descend from the top of Ballyhoo Mountain after hiking up. Fire personnel dispatched to assist. A friend of the hiker was able to assist in guiding her down the mountain.

Suspicious activity, Sept. 6 — Caller reported illegal gambling at a bunkhouse located at a local seafood processing plant. Officers responded to the location and did not observe any evidence of gambling.

Assistance rendered, Sept. 7, 0051 hours — Caller reported his "disgust" for his co-workers as they had not been reporting for work. Officers contacted the intoxicated subject and advised him to report his co-workers to management, not the police.

Sunday, September 8, 2013

Bristol Bay fisherman racks up sixth conviction

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Naknek
Type: Conviction
After a bench trial on 8/26/13 in Naknek District Court, Sergie A. Chukwak, 46, of Naknek, was found guilty of commercial fishing during a closed period. The state Office of Special Prosecutions handled the case. This is Chukwak's sixth commercial fishing conviction since 2005. Sentencing is set for a later date.

Seiners fined, lose $4K in fishing proceeds

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Cordova
Type: Commercial fish closed waters
On 8/2/13 Brian Tarabochia, 28, of Shoreline, Wash., and Oshiana Black, 29, of Bellingham, Wash., were cited by Cordova Wildlife Troopers for commercial fishing in closed waters aboard the F/V Five Brothers. Tarabochia was operating the purse seine vessel and Black was the permit holder. Approximately 5,000 pounds of pink salmon were seized. On 9/4/13 Tarabochia and Black pled no contest to commercial fishing in closed waters. Both individuals were fined $3,000 with $1,500 suspended. Black was ordered to pay $4,259.20 in restitution for the fish caught during the violation.

Two accused of tampering with Dungeness gear

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Sitka
Type: Tamper with crab gear
On 8/30/13 Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Sitka Post, contacted Richard Richter, 42, and Albert Richter, 73, both of Sitka, after an investigation revealed that on 8/23/13 both men had pulled several Dungeness crab pots in Nakwasina Sound that did not belong to them. Troopers in Sitka receive numerous complaints every year from citizens about having their shellfish gear pulled without their permission. Both men were issued a summons to appear in Sitka District Court and answer to a charge of tampering with shellfish gear, a misdemeanor.

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

King salmon used as crab bait, troopers say

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Sitka
Type: Personal use shellfish violations
On 8/31/13 Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Sitka Post, inspected gear in the Peril Strait area. Investigation revealed that multiple pots being fished by Dan K. Coffey, 67, of Anchorage, did not comply with biodegradable escape mechanism requirements, and that Coffey was using edible portions of king salmon as crab bait. Coffey was cited for one count of no biodegradable escape mechanism, with bail set at $110. He also was issued a summons to appear in Sitka District Court on the charge of using sport-caught king salmon as bait.

Note: Coffey is a former chairman of the Alaska Board of Fisheries.