$26,500 fine issued over sablefish discards

The NOAA Office of General Counsel reports the following Alaska case charged in September:

• F/V Jean C — Owners Moderation Enterprises Inc., G&W Fish Co., Strom Enterprises LLC, and operators and IFQ permit holders Harley Ethelbah and John Young were charged jointly and severally under the Magnuson-Stevens Act with illegally discarding IFQ sablefish caught with fixed gear when an IFQ permit holder onboard held unused sablefish IFQ and with failing to record discard information in the daily fishing log. A $26,500 NOVA (notice of violation and assessment) was issued.