$8,250 penalty assessed in sablefish discards case

NOAA's Office of General Counsel reports the following case charged in January:

• F/V Mirage — Owner JJ Mirage LLC and operator Jeffrey Turner were charged jointly and severally under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act with illegally discarding IFQ sablefish caught with fixed gear when any IFQ permit holder aboard held unused sablefish IFQ and with failing to record discard information in their vessel's Daily Fishing Logbook. An $8,250 NOVA (notice of violation and assessment) was issued.

Geoduck harvester cited at Ketchikan

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Ketchikan
Type: Geoduck violations
On 1/14/16 Alaska Wildlife Troopers cited Andrew Lindner, the permit holder of the F/V Mary Lou, for failing to attach a Department of Environmental Conservation tag to each container of geoducks. He also was cited for failing to complete his dive logbook prior to leaving the harvest site. A mandatory appearance is set for 2/15/16 in Ketchikan District Court.

Sportfish guide in trouble over claims of tuna, whale and other exotic catches on Kasilof River

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Soldotna
Type: Logbook violation
On 12/10/12 the Alaska Wildlife Troopers in Soldotna issued a summons to Matthew P. Terry, 21, of Tuscaloosa, Ala., for failure to complete logbook as required by Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Terry submitted freshwater logbook pages that indicated he had taken the following species from the Kasilof River: Chupacabra, Tuna, Jack Beluga and Blue Whales. Bail was set at $210 or optional court appearance into the Kenai District Court within 30 days.

Another charter guide cited over logbook

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Valdez
Type: Sportfish guide logbook violation
On 2/16/12 Jerry Lee, 45, of Anchorage, was cited by the Valdez Wildlife Trooper for failing to return sportfish charter logbook information in the time and manner specified in the logbook. Bail was set at $630 in Valdez District Court.

Troopers cite Petersburg charter operator

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Petersburg
Type: Sportfish charter logbook violation
On 2/6/12 Donn Hayes, of Benicia, Calif., owner and operator of Petersburg Sportfishing, was cited by Alaska Wildlife Troopers. Hayes had failed to submit the required logbook information for his charter business in the time set forth in regulation. Hayes was issued three citations with a combined bail of $630, or an optional appearance in Petersburg District Court.

Whittier charter operator ticketed over logbook

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Valdez
Type: Sportfish charter logbook violation
On 2/15/12 Huey Mason II, 51, of Anchorage, was cited by the Valdez Wildlife Trooper. Mason, as the owner-operator of Alaskan 4 Star Charters, out of Whittier, was issued citations for failing to return sportfish charter logbook information in the time and manner specified in the logbook. Bail was set at $1,050 in Valdez District Court.

Troopers ticket sportfish guide over logbook

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Cordova
Type: Sportfish guide logbook violation
On 2/5/12 Alaska Wildlife Troopers from Cordova Post contacted Andrew Mezirow, 47, of Seward. Investigation revealed that Mezirow had not submitted a sportfish logbook page during the 2011 season in the manner and timeframe specified in the logbook. Bail is set at $210 in Seward District Court.

Troopers charge Sitka pair with guiding violations

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Sitka
Type: Sportfish guide violations
On 11/15/11 Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Sitka Post, charged Robert L. Warren, 34, and Michael R. Keating, 55, both of Sitka, for sportfish guiding violations. The violations are a result of Warren being observed with four clients on a chartered trip with Big Blue Fisheries while using a vessel not registered to sportfish guide. Investigation showed Keating, owner of Big Blue, had compelled Warren to charter the clients on a vessel Keating knew was unregistered and did not have saltwater logbooks assigned. Warren was charged for failing to register the sportfish guide vessel and for failing to obtain a sportfish guide logbook. Keating was charged with two counts of sportfish guide operator assisting in a violation. Arraignments are set for 11/29/11 in Sitka District Court.

Guide said no catch but lied, troopers charge

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Cordova
Type: Logbook falsification
On 6/1/11, while performing a sportfish guide investigation, Alaska Wildlife Troopers from Cordova Post found that Randy C. Wells, 35, of Moose Pass, made a false statement when he submitted a 2010 sportfish logbook page on 8/2/10 stating that no fish were caught or retained by paying clients aboard the charter vessel Rogue when in actuality seven pelagic rockfish, 15 coho salmon and eight halibut were caught and retained. Wells was summoned to appear on 6/21/11 in Seward District Court for arraignment.

Coast Guard finds violations on two factory boats

A boarding team from the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Bertholf found violations aboard two factory fishing vessels in late April.

But the Coast Guard is withholding the names of the vessels involved, as "the violations are still under investigation by NOAA," Petty Officer Sara Francis told Deckboss.

An April 28 Coast Guard press release said one boat was targeting Pacific cod and the other rex sole.

"Both crews had exceeded their bycatch limits and had logbook errors," the press release said.

"The boarding officer was able to educate the master on logbook etiquette and issued three violations, which will ultimately improve fisheries management in the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone off Alaska," said Lt. Matthew Lisko, assistant weapons officer aboard the Bertholf.

The cod boat was a longliner working in the Bering Sea, while the other boat was a trawler operating in the Gulf of Alaska, Francis said.

Craig halibut skipper accused of logbook violation

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Craig
Type: Halibut logbook
On 3/17/11 Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Klawock Post, contacted Kelly Durgan Sr., 50, of Craig, skipper and permit holder on the fishing vessel Satellite, while delivering commercially caught halibut to Absolute Fresh Seafoods. Durgan failed to fill out his International Pacific Halibut Commission logbook as required. He was issued a mandatory summons to appear in Craig District Court.

Charter operator accused of logbook violation

Location: Harris Bay
Type: Fail to complete logbook
On 6/20/09 Matthew J. Rutz, 25 yoa, of Central Point, Ore., operator of the charter vessel Grande Alaska, was cited by the Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Seward Post, for failing to complete his saltwater charter logbook as required by regulation. Bail was set at $210.00.

Charter operator convicted of logbook violations

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Seward
Type: Sportfish guide violations x 20
On 6/22/09 Jeffrey P. Barney, 38 yoa, of Anchorage, owner/operator of Silverado Deep Sea Charters, was convicted of 20 counts of failing to comply with sportfish guide logbook requirements of Alaska Statute 16.40.280(b). He was fined $500 per count with a cumulative fine of $10,000 with $3,500 suspended and one year probation. He is required to commit no fish and game violations and pay all fines on time throughout his probation. Additionally, he was required to pay restitution in the amount of $1,030 to a party of four nonresident clients ... after failing to provide a sportfishing charter as contracted.

Sportfish guide cited

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Petersburg, AK
Type: Fail to Complete Logbook
On 5-18-09 Alaska Wildlife Troopers on board the patrol vessel Enforcer cited sportfish guide Kurtus Blades, age 25 of Sitka, for failing to complete a saltwater charter logbook. Blades was contacted on board the charter vessel Sikumi at the Baranof Warm Springs dock and was found to be on a multiple day charter. It was found that the clients on board the vessel had fished on 5-14-09 while on the Sikumi and Blades failed to complete a logbook for the fishing activity as required. Blades was given an optional court appearance date of 6-4-09 in the Juneau District Court.