October 18, 2018 — A scallop vessel that landed in New Bedford on Oct. 10 had its catch seized and the boat’s captain arrested, according to Massachusetts Environmental Police.
The vessel reportedly contained 150 pounds of scallops concealed within a beverage cooler and the captain was found to be in possession of Oxycontin without a prescription.
On Oct. 10, a Massachusetts Environmental Police officer conducted a commercial permit inspection aboard the scallop vessel in New Bedford. The vessel was found to be permitted federally but did not possess a valid commercial permit to land scallops in Massachusetts.
The officer then requested the captain display his catch of scallops to ensure compliance of the federally permitted possession limits. The captain presented the officer with the vessel’s allowable catch of 600-pounds. Upon further inspection of the vessel, the officer located an additional 150-pounds of scallops concealed within a beverage cooler, authorities said.
The catch was seized and the vessel captain was subsequently arrested for failure to display fish/catch upon demand.