Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Crabber nets $2K fine for undersized Dungeness

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Sitka
Type: Conviction
On 12/22/15 Peter Roddy pled guilty in Sitka District Court to one misdemeanor count of possession of undersized commercial Dungeness crab, as part of an agreement through the Sitka District Attorney's Office. Roddy was fined $6,000 with $4,000 suspended and the undersized crab previously seized were forfeited. Roddy was placed on probation for one year. An additional charge of failing to complete a fish ticket was dismissed as part of the agreement.

Troller kept undersized kings, troopers say

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Sitka
Type: Possess undersized king salmon
On 12/28/15 Alaska Wildlife Troopers contacted the fishing vessel Pacific Pearl during an offload of commercial troll-caught king salmon. Investigation showed that permit holder Maxwell L. Royall, 26, of Sitka, had retained five undersized king salmon. He was cited for possession of undersized king salmon with an arraignment set in Sitka District Court. The undersized fish were seized. Royall also was cited for employing an unlicensed crewman.

Sunday, December 27, 2015

Report highlights major Alaska enforcement cases

The NOAA Office of Law Enforcement recently released its first-ever annual report.

Go to page 13 for a summary of significant Alaska cases.

Two salmon seiners fined after guilty pleas

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Sitka
Type: Conviction
On 12/22/15 Steven Thomassen pled guilty in Sitka District Court to one count of commercial seining during a closed period. He was fined $3,000 with $2,000 suspended and placed on probation for one year. On 9/1/15 Alaska Wildlife Troopers cited Thomassen, 51, of Wrangell, for salmon seining aboard the F/V Marauder prior to the opening of the Deep Inlet seine fishery. Troopers documented the violation on 8/30/15.

Location: Sitka
Type: Conviction
On 12/22/15 Thomas Scott McAllister pled guilty to one count of commercial seining in closed waters. McAllister was fined $3,000 with $1,500 suspended, ordered to pay $80 restitution, and placed on probation for one year. On 9/1/15 Alaska Wildlife Troopers cited McAllister, 62, of Juneau, for salmon seining on 8/24/15 in the closed waters of Katlian Bay aboard the F/V Owyhee.

Friday, December 25, 2015

Dutch Harbor report

From the local police blotter:

Harassment, Nov. 9 — Crab observer reported that a member of a film crew had attempted to thwart her data collection efforts onboard her vessel. The captain and film crew for the vessel provided a somewhat different version of events, but were warned nonetheless about interfering with observer duties. The captain also was advised to address his other concerns with the observer's employer and/or the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

Environmental, Nov. 11 — Caller reported the roof to her house was being blown off by high winds and asked police for assistance. Officers confirmed that the roof was blowin' in the wind but were unable to detain it.

Assist other agency, Nov. 13, 1259 hours — Officer accompanied an Alaska State Troopers wildlife tech onboard a vessel whose fishing practices and crew were under investigation. Several citations were served to the crew.

Warrant arrest, Nov. 13, 1545 hours — Blake M. Platt, 23, was arrested on an outstanding warrant. Platt was located onboard a vessel that was being investigated by Alaska State Troopers.

Suspicious person, Nov. 28 — Officer watched an intoxicated man stroll along the Bobby Storrs boat harbor floats, peering into vessels. The man was contacted after he boarded a boat, and told police that he was an employee who had permission to stay on the vessel. He was unable to provide the name of the captain or any other person who had given him such permission, and was told to leave when officers were unable to contact anyone responsible for the boat.

Harassment, Nov. 28 — Officer investigated a complaint that certain men were being harassed at work, where coworkers were calling them ISIS terrorists. The officer advised those involved that such actions could have unintended consequences, including criminal charges.

Theft, Nov. 30 — Rental company reported that yet another vehicle had been stolen after having been left at a dock by departing vessel crew. Officers located the vehicle. Under investigation.

Environmental, Dec. 1 — Ravens attacked a load of garbage conveniently left in the bed of pickup truck, scattering debris around the parking area and roadway. The vehicle owner was contacted and agreed to dispose of the trash as soon as possible.

Assistance rendered, Dec. 11 — Captain asked for assistance with a potentially uncooperative crewman who was being ordered off the vessel. Officers notified the man he was not allowed to return to the boat, and stood by until he departed the area.

Suspicious activity, Dec. 12 — Vessel captain who had recently fired one of his employees reported that several hundred dollars worth of hand tools were missing from the boat. Under investigation.

Public safety, Dec. 14 — Caller reported kids throwing snowballs at moving vehicles and running across the roadway willy-nilly. Officers were unable to locate the rapscallions.

Sunday, December 20, 2015

Troopers cite Bristol Bay salmon fisherman

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Naknek
Type: Commercial fish closed waters
On 12/6/15 Jared Payne, 43, of Friday Harbor, Wash., was cited for commercial fishing in closed waters of the Naknek-Kvichak District within Bristol Bay. Payne was the drift gillnet salmon permit holder and vessel operator during the offense on 7/15/15.

Friday, December 4, 2015

Petersburg seiner penalized $15K; troopers say explosives used to herd salmon from closed area

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Sitka
Type: Driving salmon from closed waters
On 10/12/15 Andrew W. Kittams, 43, of Petersburg, pled guilty to a count of driving salmon from closed waters while commercial seining in 2013. Kittams was fined $3,000 and ordered to pay $12,375 in restitution to the state of Alaska. An additional charge of using explosives to drive salmon was dismissed as part of a plea agreement. The conviction stems from a July 2013 incident at Hidden Falls Hatchery where Kittams' crew, onboard the F/V Sara Dawn, was documented using explosives to drive salmon from a closed area into an active seine set.