$12K settlement reached in factory trawl case

NOAA's Office of General Counsel reports the following case resolution:

• C/P North Star — Owner North Star Vessel LLC and operator Joshua Buchan were charged jointly and severally under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act with exceeding the maximum retainable amount of pollock. A $23,408 NOVA (notice of violation and assessment) was issued, and the case settled for $12,204.

Gulf pollock, cod violations draw $36,441 penalty

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

• F/V Alaskan Lady — Owner Alaskan Lady LLC and operator Keith M. Williams were charged jointly and severally under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act with directed fishing in pollock and Pacific cod no fishing zones and exceeding the maximum retainable amounts of pollock and Pacific cod in the Gulf of Alaska. A $36,441 NOVA (notice of violation and assessment) was issued.

Factory trawler charged with pollock violation

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

• C/P North Star — Owner North Star Vessel LLC and operator Joshua Buchan were charged jointly and severally under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act with exceeding the maximum retainable amount of pollock. A $23,408 NOVA (notice of violation and assessment) was issued.

Feds detail several Alaska enforcement cases

NOAA's Office of General Counsel reports the following cases charged in February:

• F/T U.S. Intrepid — Owner U.S. Fishing LLC and operator Erin Blaine Moore were charged jointly and severally under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act with failing to comply with vessel monitoring system requirements and for failing to submit two product transfer reports as required. A $38,000 NOVA (notice of violation and assessment) was issued.

• F/V Alaska Victory — Owner Alaska Victory Inc. and operator David D. Bishop were charged jointly and severally under the Magnuson-Stevens Act with failing to comply with vessel monitoring system requirements. A $36,000 NOVA was issued, and the case settled for $32,400.

• F/V Arica — Owner Arica Vessel LLC and operator John C. Nelson were charged jointly and severally under the Magnuson-Stevens Act with exceeding the maximum retainable amount of pollock on one fishing trip and failing to timely submit one product transfer report. A $20,818 NOVA was issued.

• F/V Lady Lee Dawn — Owner-operator Alvin J. Newman Jr. was charged under the Magnuson-Stevens Act with failing to comply with vessel monitoring system requirements. A $10,000 NOVA was issued.

• F/V Pacific Star — Owner Pacstar Inc. and operator John P. McCarthy were charged jointly and severally under the Magnuson-Stevens Act with exceeding the maximum retainable amount of bycatch on one trip in 2023. A $4,836 NOVA was issued, and the case settled for $4,361.

• F/V Dominator — Owner Trident Seafoods and operator Jamie Potter were charged jointly and severally under the Magnuson-Stevens Act with exceeding the maximum retainable amount of squid and sablefish. A $4,000 NOVA was issued, and the case settled for $3,600.

Crabber cited over female and undersized Tanners

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Bering Sea

Type: Retain female and undersized crab

On 2/3/25 Jakob V. Anderson, 44, from Lake Stevens, Wash., was cited by the Alaska Wildlife Troopers for retaining female and undersized Tanner crab in the Bering Sea. Arraignment set for 4/29/25 in Unalaska District Court.

Oregon man cited over lingcod bycatch

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Sitka

Type: Lingcod bycatch

On 12/16/24 Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Sitka Post, cited Kenneth Middleton, 58, of Oregon, for taking lingcod bycatch in the commercial longline fishery during a closed period. Investigation revealed Middleton had landed approximately 1,750 pounds of lingcod in Washington after having taken the fish in the waters of Icy Bay Subdistrict, near Yakutat, in late October. The area had been closed to lingcod harvest by emergency order. The violation was identified and reported by the fish processor. Arraignment set in Yakutat District Court.

Excess cod, rockfish retention draws $10K penalty

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

• F/V Mar Del Norte — Owner North Sea Fisheries LLC and operator Robert W. Harrington were charged jointly and severally under the Magnuson-Stevens Act with exceeding the maximum retainable amount of Pacific cod and rockfish. A $10,690 NOVA (notice of violation and assessment) was issued.

Area M fisherman cited

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: South Unimak, Shumagin Islands

Type: Fail to retain all caught salmon

On 6/17/23 Michael Galligan, 62, from Friday Harbor, Wash., was cited for failure to retain all caught salmon.

Two cited in another Area M salmon chucking case

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Alaska Peninsula

Type: Failing to retain all caught salmon

On 7/26/23 Alaska Wildlife Troopers operating off the Kodiak-based patrol vessel Stimson contacted Colin Kilin, 22, and Ignaty Basargin, 19, both of Homer, while onboard the F/V Freelancer in False Pass. The crew of the Freelancer had been previously observed by troopers discarding salmon while they were commercial fishing in the vicinity of Cape Lazaref. Both Kilin and Basargin were issued summonses to appear in court for failing to retain all caught salmon.

Third case of Area M salmon chucking reported

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Alaska Peninsula

Type: Failing to retain all caught salmon

On 7/25/23 Alaska Wildlife Troopers operating off the Kodiak-based patrol vessel Stimson contacted Craig Danielson, 59, of Port Angeles, Wash., and Bruce L. McDonald, 68, of Port Townsend, Wash., while they were drift gillnet fishing in the Port Heiden area onboard the F/V Pixie. The crew of the Pixie had been previously observed by troopers discarding salmon while they were commercial fishing in the Cape Lutke area. Both Danielson and McDonald were issued summonses to appear in court for failing to retain all caught salmon.

Three charged in another case of salmon chucking

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Alaska Peninsula

Type: Failing to retain all caught salmon

On 7/13/23 Alaska Wildlife Troopers operating off the Kodiak-based patrol vessel Cama'i contacted Jose Medina, 54, Thrasher Medina, 26, and Nick Gould, 28, all of King Cove. Jose Medina was identified as the permit holder for the commercial setnet fishing vessel Sea Wolf, while Thrasher Medina and Gould were identified as the crewmembers of the vessel. Prior to contacting the crew of the Sea Wolf, troopers observed salmon being thrown back into the water by the crew of the fishing vessel while they were commercial fishing in East Anchor Cove. All members of the vessel were issued summonses to appear in court for failing to retain all caught salmon. Arraignment is set for 8/24/23 in the Anchorage court.

Gillnetter charged with chucking salmon

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Alaska Peninsula

Type: Failure to retain salmon

On 6/15/23 Alaska Wildlife Troopers operating off the Kodiak-based patrol vessel Cama'i issued Gregory Reutov, 41, of Homer, a summons to appear in court for failing to retain all caught salmon. Reutov was contacted on the fishing vessel Sinai while commercial drift gillnet fishing for salmon in the Unimak District of the Alaska Peninsula Area. Prior to contacting the vessel, troopers observed salmon being thrown back into the water.

Troopers cite longliner for keeping lingcod

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Cordova, Icy Bay subdistrict
Type: Commercial fishing closed season
On 10-04-09, at approximately 1600 hours, Alaska Wildlife Troopers from Cordova Post contacted Randy Kraxberger, age 55, of Port Townsend, Wash. Investigation revealed that Kraxberger had been fishing in a longline fishery for sablefish when he caught and retained approximately 407 pounds of lingcod during a period when lingcod retention was closed by Alaska Department of Fish and Game emergency order. Kraxberger was summoned to appear in Cordova district court for arraignment on 10-28-09.