Saving Seafood

Enforcement

NOAA Fisheries intercepted illegal tuna shipment destined for US grocery chain

June 3, 2025 — NOAA Fisheries has fined a U.S. grocery chain USD 12,516 (EUR 10,961) for illegally importing yellowfin tuna.

According to the agency, NOAA Fisheries’ Office of Law Enforcement collaborated with Virginia Conservation Police and U.S. Customs and Border Protection on a joint inspection of a container shipment at the Centralized Examination Station in Chesapeake, Virginia, U.S.A. Inside, law enforcement found more than 1,100 pounds of jarred yellowfin tuna with a declared value of USD 4,889 (EUR 4,281) destined for a grocery store chain.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement Foils Crab Trafficking Plot in Alaska

May 30, 2025 — NOAA Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement led an investigation that resulted in a Kodiak fisherman being sentenced to prison for illegally trafficking diseased crab from Alaska to Washington. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska handled the successful prosecution. On May 13, Corey Potter was sentenced to 1 year in prison and 2 years of supervised release. The sentence also included a worldwide ban on any commercial fishing for the duration of the term of his supervised release. Potter pleaded guilty to two felony counts of violating the Lacey Act in February.

In early March 2024, based on information from the Alaska Wildlife Troopers, NOAA Office of Law Enforcement initiated an investigation into two Alaska crab catcher vessels. They were allegedly transporting catch out of Alaska without first properly landing the crab in the state as required by law. Corey Potter was the owner and operator of the crab catcher vessels F/V Gambler and F/V Arctic Dawn. The investigation revealed that he directed the vessels’ captains and operators, Kyle Potter and Justin Welch, to transport live crab harvested in Alaska through Canadian waters to Seattle, where they planned to fetch higher prices for the sales. The F/V Arctic Dawn had more than 4,200 pounds of live Tanner crab on board, and the F/V Gambler held more than 2,900 pounds of live golden king crab.

Several crab fishermen expressed concern to Corey and Kyle Potter regarding their plan to transport the crab out of Alaska due to Bitter Crab Syndrome. The syndrome is a fatal parasitic disease impacting crustaceans. The fishermen cautioned that infected crab could harm the fishery’s reputation and, consequently, the market for Alaskan crab. Regardless, the captains unlawfully departed Alaska without landing the crab or submitting completed reports, in violation of Alaska law. They were fully aware that some of the Tanner crab were almost certainly infected. We tracked the vessels from Alaska to Washington, interdicted them at the dock in Seattle, and seized the catch. We collaborated with the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife Police, who offloaded the Tanner crab and disposed of them securely. Approximately 42 percent of the king crab were dead prior to landing and therefore unmarketable.

Co-defendant Welch pleaded guilty to one count of violating the Lacey Act and was sentenced on June 25, 2024, to 3 years’ probation, and a $10,000 fine. Co-defendant Kyle Potter pleaded guilty to one count of violating the Lacey Act. He was sentenced on July 10, 2024, to 5 years’ probation, including a 5-year worldwide ban on any commercial fishing and a $20,000 fine.

“The sustainability of Alaska’s fisheries depends on honest fishermen, strong statutory oversight, and industry members who engage in fair business practices,” said Benjamin Cheeseman, Assistant Director, NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement, Alaska Division. “These sentences serve to protect lawful stakeholders into the future, by sending a clear message to would-be offenders. We remain committed to holding violators accountable and safeguarding Alaska’s fisheries for future generations.”

NOAA Fisheries enforces statutes pertaining to seafood and federal fisheries. We work diligently to ensure compliance with these laws and take swift action when violations occur. We are committed to pursuing violators across state boundaries and international borders.

Read the full article at NOAA Fisheries

NOAA Fisheries Investigates Illegally Imported Tuna in Virginia

May 28, 2025 — A NOAA Fisheries investigation resulted in a grocery store chain paying a $12,516 civil penalty this February. They surrendered more than 1,100 pounds of yellowfin tuna, with a declared value of $4,889. In June 2023, NOAA Fisheries’ Office of Law Enforcement, Virginia Conservation Police, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection conducted a joint inspection of a container shipment at CBP’s Centralized Examination Station (CES) in Chesapeake, VA. Officers discovered jarred yellowfin tuna. Experts from NOAA Fisheries Tuna Tracking and Verification Program determined that two shipments of jarred tuna contained tuna from a Nicaraguan purse seiner. Nicaragua is one of seven “primary nations” that may not import certain non-fresh tuna products into the United States as they do not meet the dolphin-safe requirements under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. We do not permit import of those shipments into the United States.

NOAA’s Office of General Counsel Enforcement Section issued the civil penalty, known as a Notification of Violation and Assessment, to the grocery store chain. NOAA Fisheries’ trade monitoring and enforcement efforts protect U.S. consumers and law abiding U.S. seafood companies by stopping illegally traded seafood products from entering the U.S. market.

Trade Enforcement Efforts

We conduct trade enforcement efforts nationwide. Agents and officers routinely inspect container shipments at major U.S. seaports, airports, and border crossings into the United States. Additionally, we investigate cases referred to us by state and federal enforcement partners for suspected violations discovered during their independent trade enforcement work.

Our agents and officers in the Northeast initiated 55 new trade enforcement cases to protect U.S. consumers and businesses from January 1–March 31, 2025. “I couldn’t be more proud of the tremendous effort our agents and officers dedicate to preventing illegal seafood products from entering our markets,”  said James Cassin, acting assistant director, NOAA Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement, Northeast Division. “Leveling the playing field for U.S. fishermen and businesses is and has always been at the core of our mission.”

Trade Enforcement Prevents Illegal Imports

Seafood importers must pass through multiple layers of federal oversight to comply with U.S. and international seafood trade regulations. These include the seafood trade monitoring programs NOAA Fisheries administers. We established the national tuna program to ensure compliance with federal regulations regarding dolphin-safe certification. These regulations protect dolphin stocks vulnerable to purse seine fisheries in the Eastern Tropical Pacific. Ensuring compliance with seafood import requirements is an important part of our efforts to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing.

You can reach the Northeast Office of Law Enforcement  at (978) 281-9213 and select “option 2” for regulatory compliance.

Read the full article at NOAA Fisheries 

US Justice Department indicts four Mexican fishers for illegal red snapper harvest

May 16, 2025 –A grand jury in Texas has indicted four Mexican fishers on charges of illegally harvesting red snapper in U.S. waters.

According to the criminal complaint, U.S. authorities observed a crew of four fishers from Matamoros, Mexico, operating several miles north of the U.S.-Mexico maritime border in the Gulf of Mexico, currently referred to as the Gulf of America by the U.S. government. Operating in an unmarked, unregistered, panga-style fishing vessel without running lights, the crew reportedly harvested 315 kilograms of red snapper.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

US ports to use Covid-like tests to identify illegally trafficked seafood species

April 7, 2025 — Last year, a colleague of Diego Cardeñosa sent the international shark trade researcher a few pieces of shark fin taken from a bowl of soup in New York City. Using a PCR test similar to those used during the Covid-19 pandemic to test for the virus, Cardeñosa was able to identify the species behind the fin as sandbar shark, an endangered species found in tropical and warm-temperate waters.

Now, Cardeñosa and other scientists from Florida International University, alongside law enforcement officials from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa), plan to deploy the tests at ports across the country in order to crack down on seafood fraud and fish trafficking.

Illegal fishing adversely affects legitimate commercial fishers as well as fish populations. Almost a third of shark species are threatened or near threatened with extinction and the value of world trade in shark parts is almost $1bn a year, according to the UN.

At the same time, US consumption of seafood is increasing, rising by more than 30% in the decade from 2002. About 80% of this comes from foreign exports – mostly from Canada, Chile, India, Indonesia and Vietnam, according to the US department of agriculture.

Read the full article at The Guardian 

International Coordination Busts Red Snapper Trafficking Scheme

April 7, 2025 — In November 2024, NOAA Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement, in cooperation with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, seized more than 12 tons of illegal red snapper in Newark, New Jersey. The shipment of illegal red snapper was returned to Brazil and seized upon arrival last month by our partner, the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources. They also seized more than 40 tons of illegal red snapper destined for the United States at Brazilian ports. Our joint efforts ensure the sustainability of the fishery and compliance with international law.

Red snapper is an important commercial and recreational fishery in the southeastern United States. When illegally fished Brazilian red snapper enters into U.S. markets, it unfairly competes with U.S. fishermen and their legally caught product. Stopping the import of illegal fish and preventing illegally fished products from entering U.S. commerce protects America’s fishing industry and livelihoods.

Brazilian red snapper is also known as Caribbean red snapper and referred to as “pargo” in Brazil. It is listed as threatened under Brazil’s endangered species law and subject to a strictly regulated commercial fishery in Brazil. Despite these protections, Brazilian red snapper is often the target of illegal, unregulated, and unreported fishing and trafficking due to its high market value and consumer demand in the United States.

Read the full article at NOAA Fisheries

NOAA pilots rapid genetics test to find trafficked seafood

March 19, 2025 — NOAA Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement said a new genetics analysis device helped detect 27 tons of trafficked seafood during a recent pilot program, and the agency is hopeful the technology can help officers move more quickly in identifying illicit seafood products.

“Ultimately, we want to facilitate sustainable, legal commerce but, at the same time, interdict illegal trade,” NOAA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Bryan Landry said of the tool. “This new technology will help us do that more efficiently.”

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

US Customs officers detain 3 employees at New Jersey seafood wholesaler

January 27, 2025 — Three people working at a New Jersey seafood wholesaler were detained by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on 23 January.

It is unclear whether ICE’s visit to the business was part of U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposed changes to immigration enforcement or part of the previous administration’s immigration policy, though a Trump administration official confirmed similar arrests of at least 538 people on 23 January across the country.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Washington state officers cite group for illegal crab harvesting

January 24, 2025 — Wildlife officers from the U.S. state of Washington caught a group illegally harvesting crabs from the Puget Sound, citing them for multiple violations.

According to a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) social media post, officers spotted a group harvesting crab late in the evening off the pier in the city of Mukilteo, just north of Seattle. The officers followed one of the harvesters as they brought crab back to their vehicle, where an inspection revealed dozens of crabs inside a bag and a cooler.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

NOAA withdraws proposed rule intended to strengthen penalties on IUU fishing

January 23, 2025 — NOAA has withdrawn a proposed rule intended to further crack down on illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. 

The rule, first proposed in 2016, was intended to strengthen regulations that protect against IUU fishing by amending or bolstering other rules already in force, such as the Agreement on Port State Measures – a U.N. treaty intended to help port states cooperate in the fight against IUU fishing.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource