Four fishermen from Maine and one from New Hampshire were sentenced in federal court in Portland this week for their involvement in a scheme to sell unreported Atlantic herring, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine announced Thursday.
A total of eight Mainers and one New Hampshire man have now been sentenced, including the owner, captains and crew of a commercial fishing vessel, “The Western Sea,” as well as the owners of local Maine fisheries accused of purchasing the unreported Atlantic herring.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) sets quotas and catch limits for commercial fishing vessels in an effort to ensure the sustainability of fisheries for various species, including Atlantic herring, which is used as the primary bait fish for Maine’s lobster industry.
NOAA requires that commercial fishing vessels complete a Fishing Vessel Trip Report (FVTR) at the end of each fishing trip to report the species caught, the weight of their catch, and the dealers to whom the catch is sold.
Federal prosecutors alleged that from June 2016 through September 2019, the crew members of the Rockland-based Western Sea conspired to submit false FVTRs to NOAA, and sold unreported Atlantic herring to dealers without federal permits.
The Western Sea crew would then split the proceeds of the unreported catches at the end of fishing weeks, resulting in Western Sea, Inc. issuing inaccurate 1099 forms to the crew members who failed to report all income.
“Protecting our nation’s honest fishermen is, and will always be, a top priority for NOAA,” said Michael Henry, Assistant Director for NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement’s Northeast Division.
“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,” Henry said.
Sentenced this week on charges related to submitting false records to federal agencies and failure to pay taxes:
- Glenn Robbins, 77, Eliot; Western Sea Inc. owner and captain; 2 years of probation, $25,000 fine;
- Jason Parent, 51, Owls Head; crew member; 2 years probation, $28,685 in restitution;
- Stephen Little, 59, Warren; crew member; 2 years probation, $42,834 in restitution;
- Neil Herrick, 48, Rockland; crew member; 2 years probation, 50 hours community service, $32,889 in restitution;
- Ethan Chase, 46, Portsmouth, N.H.; part-time captain; 2 years probation, 50 hours community service, $39,289 in restitution.
Previously sentenced:
- Glenn Lawrence, 70, Owls Head; 2 years of probation, $25,000 fine, 50 hours community service;
- Duston Reed, 42, Waldoboro; Owner New Moon Fisheries, Inc.; 2 years of probation, $25,000 fine, 100 hours community service;
- Samuel Olsen, 73, Cushing; Owner Sam’s Seafood LLC; 1 year of probation, $9,500 fine, 50 hours community service;
- Andrew Banow, 37, Rockport; crew member; 1 year of probation, $1,000 fine, $20,177 restitution.
“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,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of Maine Darcie McElwee in a Thursday press release.
“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,” McElwee added.
The Maine Marine Patrol, NOAA, and the IRS – Criminal Investigation division investigated the case.
