Saving Seafood

Carlos Rafael moved to ‘community confinement’

September 4, 2020 — Convicted New Bedford fishing scofflaw Carlos Rafael has been transferred within the federal Bureau of Prisons to “community confinement” in a move that could be the first step toward his return to society once his sentence is completed.

The Bureau of Prisons confirmed on Wednesday that the 68-year-old Rafael, known far and wide as “The Codfather” when he ruled the New Bedford docks with his seafood empire, was transferred on June 24 to community confinement overseen by the bureau’s Residential Reentry Management Office in Philadelphia. He is about 33 months into his 46-month sentence for massive cheating within the Northeast multispecies groundfish fishery,

The bureau said community confinement means Rafael either is in home confinement or at a residential reentry center — or halfway house — managed by the Residential Reentry Management Office in Philadelphia. It declined to state specifically where Rafael is.

“Carlos A. Rafael is still serving his sentence,” Emory Nelson, a bureau spokesman, stated in an email response to to the Gloucester Daily Times. “His projected date of release from the custody of the BOP is March 4, 2021.  For privacy, safety, and security reasons, we do not release information on an individual inmate’s conditions of confinement.”

Read the full story at the Gloucester Daily Times

MASSACHUSETTS: Blue Harvest brings second former Carlos Rafael vessel online

August 31, 2020 — Blue Harvest Fisheries, based in New Bedford, Massachusetts, announced the launch of the Carrabassett, a vessel purchased in February from the family of Carlos Rafael, a.k.a the “Codfather.”

The Carrabassett is a 78-foot trawler that was previously known as the Cowboy, according to a release by Blue Harvest. It joins the Allagash – formerly the Southern Crusader II – which was launched in July. Blue Harvest added that it plans to launch the third vessel, the Schelvis – formerly known as the Glaucus – later this fall.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

MASSACHUSETTS: Former Rafael Groundfish Trawler Gets Blue Harvest Makeover

August 28, 2020 — One by one, fishing vessels once owned by Carlos Rafael — the New Bedford “Codfather” who did prison time for fisheries fraud — are being relaunched under new colors.

Blue Harvest Fisheries this week launched the Carrabassett, the second of three refitted groundfish vessels the company is putting into service this year. The 78-foot trawler was once painted “Carlos Rafael green” and emblazoned with the “CR” logo. Now it’s refurbished, repaired, upgraded, painted deep blue, and decorated with Blue Harvest’s distinctive scallop logo.

The Schelvis, an 85-foot trawler once known as the Glaucus, is scheduled to launch this fall. The Allagash, an 83-foot trawler formerly known as the Southern Crusader II, entered Blue Harvest’s fleet in July after getting some serious work done. Earlier this year, the vessel could be plainly seen from the Union Street Wharf at the Fairhaven Shipyard.

In addition to being renamed and repainted in Blue Harvest colors, all three vessels are outfitted with new fishing gear and updated electronics. The Allagash and Carrabassett have had their decks reconfigured so catch can be quickly sorted, cleaned and stored. The Schelvis is undergoing greater changes that will allow catch to be stored in superchilled water tanks, Blue Harvest said in a media release.

Read the full story at WBSM

Blue Harvest Makes Good on Commitment to New Bedford Fishing Community with Launch of Refitted Groundfish Vessels

August 28, 2020 — The following was released by Blue Harvest Fisheries:

This week, Blue Harvest Fisheries launched the Carrabassett, the second of three refitted groundfish vessels the company is launching this year. Our investment in these vessels, which were purchased in February from the family of Carlos Rafael, demonstrates Blue Harvest’s continued commitment to New Bedford’s rich fishing culture, and our investment in the city’s waterfront community.

The Allagash, an 83-foot trawler previously known as the Southern Crusader II, was the first to enter Blue Harvest’s growing fleet with its launch in July. The Carrabassett is a 78-foot trawler previously known as the Cowboy. The Schelvis, an 85-foot trawler previously known as the Glaucus, is scheduled to launch later this fall.

“We promised when we acquired these vessels that we would be keeping them in New Bedford, and that we would be investing in this city’s historic fishing industry. Those weren’t just words to us,” said Keith Decker, President and CEO of Blue Harvest. “We’re proud of the improvements we’ve made to these vessels, which will provide good jobs here in New Bedford, and high-quality seafood around the country.”

In addition to being renamed and repainted in Blue Harvest colors, all three vessels are being completely reoutfitted with new fishing gear and updated electronics. The Allagash and Carrabassett have also had their decks reconfigured so catch can be more quickly sorted, cleaned and stored.

The Schelvis is undergoing far greater changes that will allow catch to be stored in superchilled tanks of water that will help keep the fish fresher, longer.

Read the full release here

Carlos Rafael gets early release from prison amid COVID-19 concerns

June 30, 2020 — While many of advanced age across the United States have taken to largely sheltering in their homes and avoiding human interaction under self-imposed quarantines due to the coronavirus pandemic, there’s a strong chance that Carlos Rafael is now or soon will be living a similar existence.

The so-called “Codfather” of New Bedford, Massachusetts, who was earlier convicted of overseeing a massive, organized fish fraud operation in New England in which more than 782,000 pounds of fish were mislabeled over a four-year period (2012-2015), has been moved from the Federal Medical Center, a prison in Devens, Massachusetts, to the Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) Residential Reentry Management Office, confirms Scott Taylor, a Bureau of Prisons (BOP) spokesperson.

That means Rafael is either in home confinement or a residential reentry center, also known as a “halfway house”, Taylor said.

Read the full story at Undercurrent News

Carlos Rafael’s boats set to sail again with new owners

February 27, 2020 — Several boats once owned by disgraced fishing mogul Carlos Rafael, infamous in the region for being nicknamed the “Codfather,” will once again set sail, thanks to new management.

Blue Harvest Fisheries has bought several of the boats that became disused due to Rafael’s conviction for ignoring fishing quotas and limits, as well as smuggling profits overseas. Rafael was sentenced to four years in prison and can never run a fishing operation ever again.

The company says its acquisition will help keep locals employed on the New Bedford waterfront and maintain the tradition that made it the Whaling City for generations of fishermen.

“Our goal here is to create jobs and opportunities for New England fisheries,” Blue Harvest CEO Keith Decker said. “Everyone, in general, is very excited about what this means to the greater New Bedford area.”

Read the full story at WPRI

Blue Harvest Launching First Line of Branded Retail Products at Boston Seafood Show

February 25, 2020 — So far 2020 has been a big year for Blue Harvest Fisheries. Last week the New Bedford-based company completed the acquisition of 12 vessels and 27 fishing permits previously owned by Carlos Rafael. This week Blue Harvest Fisheries announced the launch of their first branded retail product line.

The new product line, which will be showcased at Seafood Expo North America in Boston next month, includes locally harvested and processed MSC-certified Atlantic sea scallops, Atlantic pollock (saithe), North Atlantic ocean perch (Acadian redfish) and haddock. The products in the retail line are quick frozen for freshness and sold in a convenient 16 oz. reclosable bag.

Read the full story at Seafood News

MASSACHUSETTS: Most of ‘Codfather’ fishing fleet sold

February 24, 2020 — Except for a few loose ends, Carlos Rafael’s fleet has now been sold.

Blue Harvest Fisheries, with facilities in Newport News, Virginia, and Fairhaven and New Bedford, finalized the purchase Thursday of 12 large fish trawlers, 27 fishing permits and their quota allocations that once belonged to the disgraced New Bedford fishing industry mogul.

Once dubbed “The Codfather” for his outsize presence and influence across the Northeast commercial fishing industry, Rafael is serving a 46-month sentence in a federal prison at the former Fort Devens in Harvard. He pleaded guilty to falsely labeling fish, smuggling cash, tax evasion and falsifying federal records as part of a scheme to catch and sell fish for which he did not have the necessary quota.

Under the terms of an agreement in a civil case brought by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Rafael agreed to leave commercial fishing and to sell off all his vessels by December 2020. His attorney, John Markey, said 95% of that divestiture is now complete. All that remain are a herring trawler and its permit, two fishing permits that are already under a sales agreement that has not been executed and two fishing vessels that have no permits.

Blue Harvest CEO Keith Decker and Markey would not disclose the amount paid for the dozen trawlers, but Markey said Rafael has now paid off his debts.

Read the full story at the Cape Cod Times

Twelve of Carlos Rafael’s vessels officially sold to Blue Harvest

February 20, 2020 — The boxing match over a large portion of the Codfather’s fleet with its counter punches and knockouts has come to an end and Blue Harvest Fisheries is left standing to take its victory lap.

Blue Harvest announced in a statement Thursday that they closed a deal with Carlos Rafael for 12 of his groundfishing vessels and 27 of his permits.

Those vessels and permits will be staying in New Bedford, according to the statement.

“This agreement ensures a major portion of the groundfish fishery remains in the Port of New Bedford, with vessels docked in New Bedford and crewed by local fishermen,” Blue Harvest Fisheries said.

New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell has long been vocal about his hope that the permits and vessels would remain in the Whaling City.

Read the full story at the New Bedford Standard-Times

Blue Harvest finalizes acquisition of portion of Carlos Rafael fleet

February 20, 2020 — Last year in New England, U.S.A., 90 percent of the haddock quota and 92 percent of the pollock quota was left in the water.

Blue Harvest, based in New Bedford, Massachusetts, is aiming to change those numbers and the company’s recent acquisition of 12 groundfish vessels and 27 fishing permits is a part of its efforts to begin utilizing the resource. The vessels, and permits, were formerly part of the fleet of Carlos Rafael – a.k.a. “The Codfather” – who pleaded guilty in 2017 to falsifying fish quotas, tax evasion, and conspiracy and then subsequently settled a civil case with NOAA that forced him to permanently stop all commercial fishing by 31 March, 2020.

Read the full story at Seafood Source