Page 12. MAINE COASTAL NEWS September 2010 Commercial Fishing News MISCELLANEOUS COMMERCIAL FISHING NEWS Continued from Page 11.
show the world that whale watching, not whaling, is the best future for us, and for the whales,” said Regina Asmutis-Silvia, senior biologist for the Whale & Dolphin Conserva- tion Society.
Companies participating in Whale SENSE agree to minimize negative impacts of whales by engaging in responsible viewing practices, by providing customers with a high standard of education, and by promot- ing ocean stewardship and conservation. To become a Whale SENSE participant, company vessel operators and the natural- ists who narrate tours are required to attend annual training on safe operations and whale ecology. Through these workshops, compa- nies learn more about passenger education, whale watching guidelines and regulations, and good marine stewardship practices. Once a participant company has completed the program, it is granted full use of the Whale SENSE logo and becomes listed on the Whale SENSE website.
“Dolphin Fleet is proud to be a part in the Whale SENSE program, so we can show our staff’s commitment to educating the public while safely navigating around the marine life we visit,” said Steve Miliken of Dolphin Fleet Whale Watch in Provincetown, Mass. “Par- ticipating in this program helps us to improve awareness of the whale watching guidelines within the Northeast whale watching commu- nity and give our patrons the opportunity to understand the importance of protecting the whales we see.”
Massachusetts-based Hyannis Whale Watcher Cruises, Dolphin Fleet, Captain John Boats and Massachusetts Bay Lines
are among those companies participating in Whale SENSE. The Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center in Virginia Beach is also a participant.
“We hope participation will grow as the whale-watching community recognizes the value of engaging in education, conserva- tion and stewardship,” Rosner said. “It’s a win-win situation for the companies, for the public, and most of all, for the whales.”
Former CEO of Seafood Importing Corporation Sentenced to Federal Prison for Importing Falsely Labeled Fish Thomas George, the former Chief Execu- tive Officer of Sterling Seafood Corporation, was sentenced on July 27th to 22 months in prison for importing falsely labeled fish from Vietnam and evading over $60 million in fed- eral tariffs, as well as selling over $500,000 in similarly misbranded fish purchased from another importer, United States Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
George, 61, of Old Tappan, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before United States Magis- trate Judge Patty Shwartz on January 26, 2010, to an Information charging him with one count of importing falsely labeled goods into the United States and one count of selling falsely labeled fish in the United States with the intent to defraud. United States District Judge Faith S. Hochberg imposed the sen- tence on July 27th in Newark federal court. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: From January 2003 to June 2006, George main- tained a business relationship through Ster- ling Seafood with a seafood distribution com- pany located in Vietnam. As part of that business relationship, Sterling Seafood
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regularly purchased fish in the catfish family, Pangasius hypophthalmus , sometimes re- ferred to as Vietnamese catfish. Sterling Sea- food would then resell the fish in the United States.
In the interest of fairly regulating com- merce in the U.S., the U.S. Department of Commerce establishes anti-dumping duties or tariffs on certain imported products - taxes imposed to increase the price of goods so they do not provide unfair competition to comparable goods produced locally. In Janu- ary 2003, an anti-dumping duty or tariff was placed on all imports of Vietnamese catfish into the United States because catfish was being marketed at a significantly lower price than was market rate at that time. That initial anti-dumping order imposed a duty of up to 63.88 percent on all catfish subject to the order, and was adjusted based on market
conditions.
At his plea hearing, George admitted that from 2004 to 2006, he agreed with the Vietnam- ese distribution company to engage in a scheme to falsely identify and declare the purchase and importation of the Vietnamese catfish in order to evade the applicable anti- dumping duties. George stated that he spe- cifically instructed the Vietnamese company to fraudulently identify the Vietnamese cat- fish as “grouper” on commercial contracts, purchase orders, and other documents be- cause grouper was not subject to any anti- dumping duties. Additionally, George admit- ted that from 2004 to 2005, he purchased over $500,000 of similarly misbranded Vietnamese catfish that was imported from Vietnam by a Virginia corporation and then sold that mis- branded Vietnamese catfish throughout the United States.
2011 TALs for Summer Flounder, Scup, Black Sea Bass and Bluefish
PHILADELPHIA, PA – The Commission and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) have established the 2011 total allowable landings (TAL) limits for summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, and bluefish. The Commission’s actions are final and apply to state waters. The Council will be forwarding its recommendations to NOAA’s Northeast Regional Administrator for final approval. The table below summarizes those actions/ recommendations (TALs and recreational harvest limits are in millions of pounds):
Commercial Minimum Species
Summer Flounder 29.48 17.69 Scup
Black Sea Bass 3.6 Bluefish
15.6 1.76
TAL Quota 20
5.5" 5"
4.5" 11" 27.29 4.64 —
Fish Size (TL) Mesh Size Harvest Limit 14" 9"
4.4
Recreational 11.79 1.84
— 22.65
The Commission and Council approved an increase in the 2011 summer flounder TAL by 7.35 million pounds when compared to the 2010 quota level. This results in a commercial quota of 17.69 million pounds and a recreational harvest limit of 11.79 million pounds for the
Continued on Page 15.
ASMFC Atlantic Herring Section Sets Day Outs for Remainder of 2010 Fishing Season
On August 4, 2010, Atlantic Herring Section members from the states of Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts met with industry representatives to select the most appropriate ‘days out’ effort control mea- sures for the remainder of the 2010 June to September (Period I), and October to Decem- ber (Period II) quota periods. Current land- ings are roughly 11,300 metric tons below the projected catch.
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Section members agreed to 7 landing days (Monday to Sunday) from August 9 to September 30 or until the Period I quota is harvested; and 2 landing days (Monday and Tuesday) from October 1 to December 31 or until the Period II quota is harvested. All
other days are considered ‘days out’ of the fishery. Section members may hold another ‘days out’ meeting if actual catch rates during the rest of the 2010 fishing season differ substantially from predicted catch rates, and ‘days out’ will be adjusted as necessary. Vessels are prohibited from landing more than 2,000 pounds of Atlantic herring on a ‘day out’ of the fishery. Fixed gear fishermen may remove and land herring from the gear (weirs and stop seines) on the closed days. For more information, please contact Christopher Vonderweidt, Fishery Manage- ment Plan Coordinator, at 202/289-6400 or
cvonderweidt@asmfc.org.
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