Several business fishermen in New England have been convicted in reference to a fraud scheme involving an important baitfish species that prosecutors described as complex and far-reaching.
The fishermen were convicted of “knowingly evading reporting requirements for commercial fishing.” with Atlantic herringsaid a press release from prosecutors. The defendants included owners, captains and crew members of the Western Sea, a ship that operates out of Maine.
The owner of the Western Sea, Glenn Robbins, pleaded guilty in March to providing false information to the federal government in regards to the catching and selling of herring within the Atlantic and failing to pay taxes, prosecutors said. Members of the ship’s crew conspired to supply false travel reports to the federal government from 2016 to 2019, court documents say. The charges are misdemeanors.
Robbins was sentenced Thursday to 2 years’ probation and a $25,000 effective, and Western Sea was fined $175,000. The false reports threatened to endanger a fish species that’s critical as business lobster bait, federal prosecutor Darcie McElwee said.
“The defendants in this case have circumvented regulations for the sole purpose of lining their own pockets – regulations that are intended to ensure that Atlantic herring are not overfished and remain available for future generations of fishermen and to protect the viability of the marine ecosystem,” McElwee said.
In a phone call on Monday, Robbins said that despite his confession, he doesn’t consider he’s guilty and that he agreed to a deal since it is uncertain whether the case might be delivered to a jury.
“We took the deal just to avoid being felons,” Robbins said.
A federal judge last week also sentenced a part-time captain and three crew members to similar sentences. Those defendants all pleaded guilty in March.
Four other defendants were convicted earlier this yr and received similar sentences. All of the defendants on this case live in Maine or New Hampshire.
Federal regulations require fishermen to submit trip reports in regards to the species they catch, the burden of their catch and the dealers who purchase the fish.
Herring is a crucial a part of the food chain since it is eaten by marine mammals, larger fish and seabirds. Fisheries managers have Concerns about sustainability the Atlantic herring population in recent times.
