The captain and crew of a vessel operating in the U.S. region of New England have been sentenced after the U.S. Department of Justice accused them of conducting a multi-year scheme to sell Atlantic herring while avoiding taxes and mandated reporting.
“Protecting our nation's honest fishermen is, and will always be, a top priority for NOAA. Egregious acts that undermine the sustainable management of our fisheries resources and steal from those in the industry who follow the rules will not be tolerated,” NOAA Office of Law Enforcement Northeast Division Assistant Director Michael Henry said.
The captain and crew of the Western Sea, a commercial fishing vessel operating out of Rockland, Maine, U.S.A., were accused of selling Atlantic herring without reporting it to regulatory authorities from 2016 to 2019, according to court documents. In doing so, the fishermen were able to evade paying taxes on their sales, as well as catch limits designed to keep the herring fishery sustainable.
“Atlantic herring is a vital resource in Maine, particularly to the thousands of people involved in the lobster industry in the state. Led by Glenn Robbins and Western Sea, the defendants in this case subverted regulations for the sole purpose of lining their own wallets – regulations that are in place to ensure Atlantic herring are not overfished and are available for future generations of fishermen and safeguard the viability of the marine ecosystem,” U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee said. “I commend the investigators on this case, including those from NOAA, for their efforts to ensure the sustainable management of an industry so vital to all that is Maine.”
The fishermen attempted to cover up the illegal sales by submitting a false Fishing Vessel Trip Report to NOAA and submitting inaccurate 1099 tax forms.
Western Sea Captain Glenn Robbins and the other five members of the crew pled guilty and were sentenced to varying levels of probation and community service and ordered to pay tens of thousands of dollars in fines and restitution.
Glenn Lawrence, owner of the fishing vessel the Double Eagle, Duston Reed, the owner of New Moon Fisheries, and Samuel Olsen, the owner of Sam’s Seafood, also pled guilty to buying the herring from the Western Sea and were sentenced in April and May.
“The sentencing of all involved with the Western Sea investigations sends a powerful message to the commercial fishing industry,” Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Special Agent in Charge Harry T. Chavis Jr. said. “This investigation demonstrates IRS-CI’s commitment to investigating and prosecuting all those who violate the U.S. Tax Code, no matter who they are.”
