NOAA agents tracked illegal tuna commerce operations for two years. (Photo: Stock File)

NOAA uncovers illegal bluefin tuna operation

UNITED STATES
Thursday, May 28, 2009, 17:50 (GMT + 9)

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) claims it has uncovered an illegal Atlantic bluefin tuna operation in the city of Ogunquit. Several restaurants and three fishermen may be fined USD 100,000 for the buying and fishing of tuna without the proper permits.

NOAA’s operation began in July 2007, when three fishermen from Perkins Cove approached restaurants offering to sell them their locally-caught bluefin tuna. These fish measured less than the legally ordained 54 inches in length, according to the York County Coast Star.

NOAA plans to fine the fishers USD 40,000 and the restaurants and chefs USD 60,000 as civil infractions because they lacked the proper permits to conduct the transactions. However, some parties claim inspectors misconstrued their intentions, as they had said restaurants and chefs’ cooperation would shield them from any fines.

Chris Schoppmeyer, special agent of NOAA’s Fisheries Service, told Seacoastline that the businesses and persons involved and their respective fines are Jackie’s Too Restaurant for USD 10,000 and restaurant executive chef Peter Bevins for USD 10,000; Five-O Restaurant for USD 10,000 and executive chef Zachary Crosby for USD 15,000; Angelina’s Ristorante for USD 5,000 and restaurant owner and executive chef David Giarusso Jr. for USD 5,000; Front Porch Café owner Wayne Wescott for USD 5,000; fisher William McIntire for USD 15,000; fisher Glenn Perkins for USD 15,000; and fisher Michael Lorusso for USD 10,000.

"As far as the impact on the [tuna] resources, it should serve as a deterrent for those individuals who seek to personally profit from the exploitation of our living marine resources, specifically Atlantic bluefin tuna. It serves to have addressed a problem that existed for a number of years in that area," Schoppmeyer said.

However, Giarusso expressed bafflement: "I have no idea why they are doing this." He thought he was legally supporting local fishers by buying their product. Jackie Bevins of Jackie’s Too concurred regarding inspectors’ obfuscations. 

Jeff Porter of Five-O believed the people fined would be the fishers: "My understanding was that if we cooperated fully with the investigation that we would not receive a fine." Porter has hired lawyers to handle the murky situation.

"In any investigation, we bring [cooperation] to the attention to our general council," Schoppmeyer said. "We tell them of your cooperation and that it will be brought forward and [the general council] will make the determination. We encourage them to cooperate."

He said some people take to selling tuna illegally because legally-sized tuna is in dearth and the fish fetches high prices. Fishers sell the tuna in the form of fillets in an attempt to throw investigators off.

Related articles:

- Pacific nations call for 30 per cent reduction in tuna catch
- Fishery meeting could decide bluefin tuna's fate
- Tuna laundering inquiry continues, says EU commissioner

By Natalia Real
editorial@fis.com
www.fis.com

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