Thirteen U.S. fishermen have been charged in a federal court in Raleigh, N.C., for the illegal harvest, sale and false reporting of approximately 41 metric tons (MT) of Atlantic striped bass.
According to a press release by the United States Department of Justice, the average retail value of the illegally harvested striped bass is approximately USD 1.1 million (EUR 827,000). The investigation began as a result of the U.S. Coast Guard boarding a fishing vessel named Lady Samaira in February 2010, based on a complaint that vessels were fishing bass illegally.
The individuals involved have been charged with violating the Lacey Act, which prohibits individuals from transporting, selling or buying fish and wildlife that’s harvested illegally. In addition, 11 of those involved have been charged with filing false reports in connection with illegally harvested fish.
The indictments claim the fishermen transported and sold Atlantic striped bass while knowing they were unlawfully harvested from federal waters off the coast of North Carolina. The fishermen falsely reported harvesting fish from state waters to hide illegal activity.
All defendants involved are licensed with the state of North Carolina and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to fish in state waters only for striped bass.
