Office of Law Enforcement

Annual Report Fiscal Year 2017
About NOAA Law Enforcement 2

Staffing and Budget 3

Equipment 3

Training 4

Special Programs: Vessel Monitoring Systems and

Cooperative Enforcement 5

Combating Wildlife Trafficking 6

International Programs 7

Combating Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing 7

Implementing Port State Measures 8

Operations 8

Alaska Division 10

Significant Investigations 11

Enforcement Activities at a Glance 13

Northeast Division 14

Significant Investigations 15

Enforcement Activities at a Glance 17

Pacific Islands Division 18

Significant Investigations 19

Enforcement Activities at a Glance 21

Southeast Division 22

Significant Investigations 23

Enforcement Activities at a Glance 25

West Coast Division 26

Significant Investigations 27

Enforcement Activities at a Glance 29

Appendix 30

Reporting Violations 32
U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | National Marine Fisheries Service 1

Effective management of the marine natural resources under NOAA’s stewardship depends on effective enforcement 

of adopted management measures. In 2017, NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement (OLE) continued to play a critical role 

in supporting the NOAA Fisheries mission by enforcing the laws, rules, and regulations that conserve and protect our 

nation’s marine resources and their natural habitat. Through our efforts to promote compliance with these laws and 

implementing regulations, OLE aims to support sustainable fisheries, combat illegal fishing, reduce seafood fraud, and 

protect marine resources to ensure they’re around for future generations. 

In the pages that follow, you will learn more about these activities. For example, in OLE’s Alaska Division, we 

conducted a large-scale operation focused on investigating multiple safety and data integrity incidents involving 

NOAA’s fisheries observers; this operation underscores OLE’s commitment to promoting the safety of observers, 

who play a critical role in supporting NOAA’s science and management missions. In the Southeast Division, OLE 

successfully investigated a multi-defendant complex conspiracy involving the poaching of striped bass from 

the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone. In the Pacific Islands Division, OLE helped our local enforcement partners 

investigate and bring to justice a man who physically abused a pregnant endangered Hawaiian monk seal. In the 

West Coast Division, OLE investigators were on the front lines uncovering a significant case of wildlife trafficking of 

totoaba swim bladders into the United States. Exemplifying the challenging, complex, and multi-faceted nature of 

modern conservation law enforcement, OLE’s Northeast Division took part in a multi-agency criminal investigation 

of Carlos Rafael in New Bedford, Massachusetts. As a result of this investigation, Mr. Rafael pleaded guilty to 

multiple felony charges involving conspiracy, false labeling of fish, bulk cash smuggling, tax evasion, and falsifying 

federal records; he was sentenced to 46 months in prison for these crimes. 

Our work does not end at our borders. The United States is a signatory to many international conservation and 

fishery management agreements, including the recently ratified Port State Measures Agreement (PSMA), and is 

a global leader in combatting illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. On the international-front, OLE 

continued its work this year with several foreign countries to provide capacity building and training to help them 

combat IUU fishing within their national waters. By providing training assistance to port inspectors and law 

enforcement personnel from other countries on boarding techniques, information sharing, and other tools, OLE 

continues to support the global assault on IUU fishing.

As this annual report highlights, OLE continues to be successfully engaged in helping to ensure that domestic laws 

and regulations and international obligations are effectively enforced. That success, however, would not be possible 

without the efforts of a dedicated cadre of enforcement professionals within OLE, and the synergies realized through 

strong international, federal, state, and territorial partnerships. As OLE continues to strengthen both our internal 

staffing organization and these partnerships, I look forward to building on these successes in the year ahead. 

JAMES LANDON

Director, Office of Law Enforcement 

National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

U.S. Department of Commerce

Director’s Message
NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement protects marine wildlife and habitat by 

enforcing domestic laws and supporting international treaty requirements 

designed to ensure global resources are available for future generations. 

OLE special agents, enforcement officers, and enforcement support staff 

provide stakeholders with compliance assistance and education about the 

nation’s marine resource laws. 

While OLE enforces marine resource protection laws, the Office of the 

General Counsel’s Enforcement Section (GCES) is NOAA’s civil prosecutor. 

Together, the two offices make up NOAA’s enforcement program and work 

with other NOAA program offices to establish national law enforcement 

policy. 

OLE supports the core mission mandates of NOAA Fisheries—maximizing 

productivity of sustainable fisheries and fishing communities, as well as 

protection, recovery, and conservation of protected species—through 

its efforts to enforce and promote compliance with the marine resource 

protection laws and implementing regulations under NOAA’s purview. 

Stats and Facts about OLE

OLE jurisdiction generally covers ocean waters between 3 and 200 miles 

offshore and adjacent to all U.S. states and territories; this is called the 

Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Jurisdiction includes:

• 3.36 million square miles of ocean.

• More than 95,000 miles of U.S. shoreline.

• 13 National Marine Sanctuaries and five Marine National Monuments.

Headquarters Staffing 

Snapshot:

21 Full-Time Employees 

•	1 Director (Senior Exec. Service)

•	1 Deputy Director

•	7 Special Agents

•	10 Mission Support 

•	2 Investigative Support

13 Contractors

About NOAA’s Office of 

Law Enforcement

2 Office of Law Enforcement Annual Report FY17
Staffing

To cover this extensive territory, 

OLE personnel are assigned to 

five divisional offices and 51 field 

offices throughout the states and 

U.S. territories. Additionally, OLE 

partners with state and territory law 

enforcement agencies and other 

federal organizations to maximize 

efficiency. OLE is staffed by 190 

employees—67 special agents, 

60 enforcement officers, and 63 

mission and investigative support 

personnel.1

Protecting the nation’s marine 

environment and helping to ensure 

a level playing field for those whose 

jobs and businesses rely on the 

fair use of our marine resources 

requires a significant commitment 

of personnel. 

Guided by the staffing plan 

that was written and approved 

in FY 2016, OLE recruited 22 

new uniformed enforcement 

officers—nine of whom came to 

us through Veterans Recruitment 

Appointments. 

Budget

The FY 2017 allocation for Fisheries 

Enforcement was $67.1 million. 

OLE distributed these funds among 

five sub Program, Project, and 

Activities, which are: 

• $39.2 million for Enforcement and 

Surveillance. 

• $18.2 million for the Cooperative 

Enforcement Program (CEP), 

which provides joint enforcement 

agreements with state and 

U.S. territory natural resources 

enforcement agencies.

• $6.7 million for the Vessel 

Monitoring System (VMS) 

program.

• $1.9 for the High Seas Driftnet 

Act Implementation.

• $1.1 million for NOAA Fisheries 

activities related to Driftnet Act 

Implementation.

Equipment

Vessel Procurement 

Cost: $1.28 million

In FY 2017, the NOAA Acquisitions 

and Grants Office approved a 

contract to purchase four new 

patrol vessels that will be used in 

OLE’s Alaska Division. Two vessels 

will measure approximately 35 

feet and will be used in the South 

Central Alaska area and Kodiak; 

together the vessels cost $864,900. 

The other two vessels will measure 

30 feet and will be used in 

Southeast Alaska area; combined 

the vessels cost $431,764.72. 

The Southeast Alaska vessels are 

scheduled for delivery in April 2018 

and the South Central Alaska and 

Kodiak vessels are scheduled for 

delivery in May 2018.

Special Agents Enforcement Officers Investigative Support Mission Support Total 

2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

Staffing Numbers Per Year

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

114

93

77

67

22

29

47

30 28

41

29 28

41

35

27

38 34

60

30 33

47

25

0

50

100

150

200

250

212

201 191 189 183

190

89

102

1

 Data as of September 30, 2017.

Staffing Numbers Per Year

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | National Marine Fisheries Service 3
4 Office of Law Enforcement Annual Report FY17

Vessels

Alaska Division

Taku Wind—26 feet

Williwaw Wind—26 feet

Aleutian Wind—27 feet

Chinook Wind—27 feet

Kenai Guardian—26 feet

Susitna—20 feet

Pacific Islands Division

SafeBoat—33 feet

Southeast Division

Carolina—25 feet

Titusville—24 feet

Galveston—24 feet

Barracuda—24 feet

Harlingen—24 feet

West Coast Division

Commander—21 feet

SafeBoat—27 feet

SafeBoat—27 feet

Northriver—17 feet

Training

All OLE enforcement officers and 

special agents attend training at the 

Federal Law Enforcement Training 

Center (FLETC) in Glynco, Georgia. 

The extensive training received for 

initial entry to the force spans a 

total of 28 to 30 weeks.

Enforcement officers and special 

agents must also attend a yearly 

law enforcement refresher 

in-service training. During the 

week-long course, mandatory 

content includes a variety of 

topics designed to ensure our 

special agents and enforcement 

officers are maintaining required 

qualifications and have the most 

up-to-date case law review, 

legal requirements, and policy 

information.

Becoming an Enforcement Officer:

• 12 Weeks—FLETC Uniformed 

Police Training Program 

• 4 Weeks—FLETC Marine Law 

Enforcement Training Program

• 12 Weeks—NOAA Field Training 

and Evaluation Program 

Becoming a Special Agent:

• 12 Weeks—FLETC Criminal 

Investigator Training Program 

• 4 Weeks—FLETC Marine Law 

Enforcement Training Program

• 2 Weeks—FLETC Case 

Organization and Presentation 

Training Program

• 12 Weeks—NOAA Field Training 

and Evaluation Program

Port State Measures Training Program

As the primary office responsible 

for enforcing the Agreement on Port 

State Measures to Prevent, Deter, 

and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported, 

and Unregulated Fishing (PSMA), 

OLE developed a domestic 

training program for implementing 

the Agreement in 2016. Specific 

training modules were designed to 

ensure law enforcement personnel 

are well versed in the requirements 

of the U.S. implementing 

legislation—the PSMA Act of 

2015 (16 USC § 7401 et. seq.), 

the Agreement itself, and relevant 

regional fisheries management 

organizations’ (RFMO) conservation 

and management measures. All 

sworn personnel from OLE received 

PSMA training during the FY 2017 

national in-service.

For more information about Port 

State Measures and international 

training information, see page 8. 

About OLE
Headquarters: Special 

Programs

Vessel Monitoring System 

The Vessel Monitoring System 

(VMS) is a satellite surveillance 

system primarily used to monitor 

the location and movement of 

commercial fishing vessels in 

the U.S. EEZ and treaty areas 

for compliance purposes. The 

system uses satellite-based 

communications from transceiver 

units on-board vessels that 

are required to carry them. The 

transceiver units send data that 

include vessel identification, 

time, date, and GPS location. 

The vessel operators can also 

use these units to communicate 

by sending electronic forms, 

fishing declarations, and even text 

messages over email.

In FY 2017, the OLE VMS program 

monitored more than 4,000 

vessels. The VMS program shares 

data with authorized partners 

such as the U.S. Coast Guard for 

homeland security and fisheries 

enforcement purposes, NOAA’s 

science centers for fisheries 

management purposes, the 

Department of Defense for national 

security missions, and the public 

(in aggregated form) for a variety of 

uses and studies.

Additional capabilities and uses of 

VMS include:

• Monitoring sensitive areas such 

as marine sanctuaries and marine 

national monuments.

• Monitoring activity and arrivals in 

port to plan for sampling.

• Supporting catch share 

programs.

• Tracking, monitoring, and 

predicting fishing effort, activity, 

and location.

• Coordinating observer trips.

• Verifying/validating data from 

other sources.

• Identifying fishing vessels.

This year, NOAA issued 

approximately $500,000 in 

reimbursement payments to 

fishermen to ease the cost burden 

associated with the purchase of 

their onboard transceivers.

Cooperative Enforcement Program 

OLE enhances its active presence, 

visibility, and interactions with the 

regulated industry by partnering 

with state and territorial marine 

and natural resource enforcement 

agencies through the Cooperative 

Enforcement Program (CEP). OLE’s 

partnerships with these agencies 

help promote compliance with 

federal laws and regulations under 

the purview of NOAA. Through 

the CEP, OLE deputizes state and 

territorial marine law enforcement 

personnel to enforce federal 

laws and regulations, and has 

entered into 28 joint enforcement 

agreements (JEAs) to provide 

direction and funding to CEP

activities. Below are the states and 

territories with which we have JEAs: 

• Alabama

• Alaska

• American Samoa

• California

• Connecticut

• Delaware

• Florida

• Georgia

• Guam

• Hawaii

• Louisiana

• Maine

• Maryland

• Massachusetts

• Mississippi

• New Hampshire

• New Jersey

• New York

• Northern Mariana Islands

• Oregon

• Puerto Rico

• Rhode Island

• South Carolina

• Texas

• Virginia

• U.S. Virgin Islands

• Washington

Alaska Division

Northeast Division

Pacific Islands Division

Southeast Division

West Coast Division

Total Cost of Support2

$5.6

$1.3

$4.8

$1.1

$2.5

$0.5

Funding to the States and Territories per Million1

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | National Marine Fisheries Service 5

1. Agreements represent dollars allocated directly to the state partners. 

2. Support cost consists of labor and travel cost of OLE staff supporting JEAs, such as 

JEA enforcement technicians and JEA program manager. 

Funding to the States and Territories per Million1
6 Office of Law Enforcement Annual Report FY17

Investigative Analysis

Background 

OLE’s Analyst Team provides 

in-depth research and analytic 

support on a broad range 

of international fisheries law 

enforcement issues—e.g., criminal 

networks, enforcement operations, 

investigations, suspected 

import trade violations, and 

cooperative international fisheries 

enforcement—and support for 

policy development. The Analyst 

Team fuses information and data 

from a variety of official and open 

sources, evaluates its reliability, 

and applies analytic techniques to 

develop judgments or additional 

context that significantly enhance 

OLE’s operations. 

Through a memorandum of 

understanding with U.S. Customs 

and Border Protection (CBP), OLE 

participates as a member agency 

of CBP’s Commercial Targeting 

and Analysis Center (CTAC). This 

multi-agency facility provides OLE 

analysts with direct access to 

CBP import processing, targeting, 

and law enforcement systems, as 

well as other member agencies’ 

data systems. Leveraging the 

CTAC resources, the Analyst Team 

identifies suspicious shipments 

prior to their U.S. arrival, places 

“holds” for physical examinations 

of selected consignments by OLE, 

and coordinates with other CTAC 

participating agencies. 

Team Support

The analysts provide support 

such as sharing of resources and 

databases, review of products, and 

general support for requests for 

information (RFIs) from OLE agents 

and officers. In FY 2017, the Analyst 

Team responded to more than 250 

RFIs in support of investigations 

through the use of proprietary 

databases and intelligence research 

tools. The team leveraged its 

presence at CTAC to respond to an 

additional 450 requests to research 

or support operational action on 

suspicious international shipments 

of seafood entering the United 

States. In addition, the Analyst 

Team completed approximately 300 

RFIs that supported international 

policies, the Presidential Task Force 

to Combat IUU Fishing and Seafood 

Fraud, and RFMO annual meetings.

The analysts are responsible for 

reviewing all foreign flagged fishing 

and fishing support vessels prior 

to arriving in a U.S. port. For FY 

2017, the Analyst Team reviewed 

approximately 1,000 vessel entries 

and forwarded about 7 percent of 

those to the respective OLE division 

for further screening. 

Combating Wildlife 

Trafficking

OLE’s work in wildlife trafficking 

largely encompasses the illegal 

handling of marine wildlife products 

protected under the Endangered 

Species Act, Marine Mammal 

Protection Act, and Shark Finning 

Prohibition Act. Our sworn 

personnel enforce these statutes 

by working with enforcement 

counterparts at ports and borders 

to identify illegal trade routes and 

the possession, purchase, and 

transfer of such products. 

As one of several agencies 

included in the Presidential Task 

Force on Wildlife Trafficking, OLE 

assisted with the development of 

guiding principles and priorities 

that will inform the U.S. strategic 

plans to combat wildlife trafficking 

within focus countries and 

engage in collaboration with 

non-governmental agencies. 

Additionally, as directed by the 

Eliminate, Neutralize, and Disrupt 

(END) Wildlife Trafficking Act 

of 2016, OLE assisted with the 

drafting of the first END wildlife 

trafficking report to Congress, 

as well as the annual strategic 

assessment of the implementation 

of the Act.

OLE also participated in joint 

enforcement inspections targeting 

illegal or illicit marine wildlife 

products with both Canadian and 

Mexican counterparts at different 

points this year, alongside the U.S. 

Fish and Wildlife Service (U.S. 

FWS), CBP, the Food and Drug 

Administration (FDA), and state 

enforcement partners. OLE has 

also participated in international 

representation and engagement 

with respect to wildlife trafficking, 

including attending and presenting 

at the China-Mexico-U.S. Trilateral 

on the totoaba this year.
Combating Illegal, 

Unreported, and Unregulated 

Fishing

The United States is one of the 

world’s leading destinations 

for globally harvested seafood. 

Estimates indicate that more 

than 90 percent of the seafood 

consumed annually in the United 

States is imported. OLE’s mission 

includes ensuring that the seafood 

products being sold in American 

markets, whether domestically 

caught or imported, are legally 

harvested so that honest fishermen 

have a fair market in which to 

compete. The OLE International 

Program plays a key role in this 

mission by combating illegal, 

unreported, and unregulated 

(IUU) fishing and, fishing-related 

activities, as well as trade in IUU 

fish and fish products. This requires 

a multi-faceted approach that 

includes:

• Monitoring imports into the 

United States, as well as seafood 

products in global trade. 

• Partnering with other federal and 

state law enforcement agencies 

to combat IUU fishing and 

seafood fraud throughout the 

United States.

• Engaging in multilateral and 

bilateral discussions with 

international partners to create 

enforceable provisions to 

combat IUU fishing and develop 

cooperation and collaboration 

in detecting, deterring, and 

interdicting IUU fishing activity 

and trade.

• Providing technical assistance to 

global partners, with emphasis 

on major exporters of seafood 

to the United States, to assist 

in developing the fisheries 

enforcement capacity to detect 

and interdict IUU fish and fish 

products before they enter the 

global market.

• Educating the public, consumers, 

and international audiences 

about the impacts of IUU fishing 

and fishing-related activities. 

Engagement in multilateral and 

bilateral efforts to combat IUU 

fishing involves OLE serving 

on U.S. delegations to various 

RFMOs and taking part in meetings 

with foreign governments. Our 

mission is to develop positive 

working relationships with fisheries 

enforcement and management 

agencies globally to ensure that 

international obligations are both 

enforceable and compatible with 

U.S. fisheries requirements.

OLE is also an active member 

of international organizations 

specifically designed to combat 

IUU fishing, such as the INTERPOL 

Fisheries Crime Working Group 

and the International Monitoring, 

Control and Surveillance (MCS) 

Network. These organizations 

bring together global fisheries 

enforcement resources to combat 

IUU fishing and to enhance 

communication and collaboration 

between international partners. 

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | National Marine Fisheries Service 7

International Programs 
8 Office of Law Enforcement Annual Report FY17

Implementing the Port 

State Measures 

Background 

On June 5, 2016, the Port State 

Measures Agreement (PSMA) 

entered into force, after 29 

countries, including the United 

States and the European Union 

(EU), ratified the Agreement. 

As one of the most significant 

global initiatives to combat IUU 

fishing, the PSMA sets minimum 

standards for exercising port 

state controls for foreign-flagged 

fishing and fishing support 

vessels seeking entry into ports, 

as well as activities conducted 

while in a country’s port. The 

implementation of the PSMA 

also ensures compliance with 

RFMOs’ conservation and 

management measures. Another 

major provision of the PSMA is an 

emphasis on increased information 

sharing and communications 

among participating nations, 

relevant enforcement agencies, 

and relevant international 

organizations, such as RFMOs.

Note: Ratifications of the PSMA 

steadily continued throughout FY 

2017. The Agreement reached 

51 Parties covering 77 countries 

and roughly half of the coastal 

countries worldwide.

International Port State Measures 

Training Programs

Through collaboration with the Food 

and Agriculture Organization of the 

United Nations (FAO), OLE has been 

providing technical assistance for 

the operational implementation of 

the PSMA. OLE has provided PSMA 

training in Indonesia, through a 

partnership with the U.S. Agency for 

International Development (USAID). 

OLE’s training consists of classroom 

lessons as well as interactive vessel 

boarding scenarios for fisheries 

inspectors and port officials on 

best practices to implement the 

PSMA. These lessons are designed 

to ensure fisheries inspectors and 

other authorized law enforcement 

personnel are familiar with the 

requirements of the PSMA and 

can successfully complete an 

Agreement-compliant inspection, 

and to help ensure a country’s 

national PSMA obligations are met.

In FY 2017, OLE presented its 

International Port State Measures 

Inspector Training Program to the 

Association of Southeast Asian 

Nations (ASEAN) and Southeast 

Asian Fisheries Development 

Center at the PSMA Implementation 

Workshop; at the Safe Ocean 

Network Meeting; and at the 

Regional Plan of Action IUU 

Coordination Committee Meeting, 

among other workshops. As a 

result of this work, USAID/Regional 

Development Mission for Asia 

formally requested OLE to develop 

a PSMA regional workshop for 

managers and decision-makers 

within member countries in the 

southeast Asian region. 

In FY 2017, OLE and GCES entered 

into an agreement with FAO to 

assist with operational training to 

enhance capability for the effective 

implementation of the provisions of 

the PSMA and to provide fisheries 

inspector PSMA training during the 

next 3 years in five Caribbean and 

Latin American countries.

Operations

OLE special agents, enforcement 

officers, and enforcement support 

staff regularly participate in 

international operations. The scope 

of these engagements includes 

providing foreign governments, 

organizations, and communities 

with the tools, resources, and 

information sharing avenues to 

allow them to address complex 

IUU fishing issues. This is usually 

accomplished through technical 

assistance and training workshops. 

International Programs
U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | National Marine Fisheries Service 9

Training and Technical Assistance 

Philippines: In October 2016, a 

team of OLE instructors and 

subject matter experts held the 

first Combating IUU Fishing 

Workshop in Manila, Philippines. 

This workshop, in partnership with 

the State Department’s Bureau 

of International Narcotics and 

Law Enforcement (INL), focused 

on fisheries enforcement and 

prosecution in transboundary areas 

between the Philippines, Indonesia, 

and Malaysia. In attendance 

were 35 fisheries enforcement 

officers and lawyers from the 

three countries. OLE continued to 

collaborate with INL staff to host 

a second workshop in Cavite City, 

Philippines, in June 2017. Officials 

from the Government of Philippines 

attended this Combating IUU 

Fishing Workshop, which focused 

on conducting counter-IUU fishing 

investigations and case package 

development.

Republic of South Korea: In May 2017, 

OLE held a workshop that focused 

on tools and technologies to 

combat IUU fishing for participants 

from the Republic of South Korea 

at the NOAA Western Regional 

Center in Seattle. Representatives 

from the Korean Ministry of Oceans 

and Fisheries, Korean Coast 

Guard, Korean National Police, and 

Environmental Justice Foundation 

attended. 

Ghana: In March 2017, a team of 

OLE special agents assisted the 

U.S. Naval Forces Africa Office 

and Ghanaian Navy in their training 

operation in Ghana. The training 

workshop focused on sharing

best enforcement practices, with 

both classroom and on-the-water 

components. 

OLE returned to Ghana in 

September 2017 to provide joint 

training on fisheries inspections, 

import and container inspections, 

vessel bridge inspections, 

and information analysis in 

partnership with INL, the Fisheries 

Committee for the West Central 

Gulf of Guinea’s West Africa 

Task Force, and Trygg Mat 

Tracking. Thirty-five participants 

attended this workshop, including 

representatives from the fisheries 

departments, navies, and maritime 

agencies of Liberia, Côte d’Ivoire, 

Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, 

Senegal, and Sierra Leone.

Formal Meetings 

Coordination Committee Meeting of 

the Regional Plan of Action, Southeast 

Asia: In November 2016, OLE 

participated as an observer in the 

Coordination Committee Meeting. 

OLE provided presentations on 

how the United States is combating 

IUU fishing, implementing PSMA, 

and ways to combat the trade of 

IUU fish and fish products.

Caribbean Regional Wildlife 

Enforcement Workshop: In May 

2017, OLE participated in the 

Caribbean Wildlife Enforcement 

Network (CaribWEN) Workshop 

in Bridgetown, Barbados. This 

meeting reaffirmed that enhanced 

cooperation benefits efforts to 

deter, prevent, and combat illegal 

wildlife trade, while promoting 

wildlife enforcement as an essential 

need for sustainable development. 

Safe Ocean Network: OLE attended 

and presented at the Safe Ocean 

Network Meeting, hosted at the 

Department of State in June 

2017. Participants included 

representatives from the EU, 

Canada, Norway, Spain, Ghana, 

Kenya, Indonesia, Japan, New 

Zealand, Australia, and the United 

States. 

U.S.-Russia Intergovernmental 

Consultative Committee Meeting: In 

September 2017, representatives 

from OLE, NOAA’s General 

Counsel, NOAA Fisheries’ Office of 

International Affairs and Seafood 

Inspection, NOAA’s Alaska 

Region, U.S. Department of State, 

U.S. Coast Guard, and industry 

attended the meeting in La Jolla, 

California.

U.S.-Chinese Taipei Fisheries Bilateral: 

In September 2017, OLE provided 

law enforcement expertise on 

topics related to combating IUU 

fishing by attending the U.S.-

Chinese Taipei Fisheries Bilateral 

Meeting in La Jolla, California. 

OLE reported on our collaborative 

efforts with Chinese Taipei to 

conduct joint boardings, share 

best law enforcement practices, 

and enhance information sharing. 

OLE also led discussions on 

crosscutting issues related to 

combating IUU fishing.

INTERPOL Fisheries Crime Working 

Group: In September 2017, 

OLE special agents attended 

INTERPOL’s Fisheries Crime 

Working Group meeting in Vienna, 

Austria. An OLE special agent 

was elected by the countries as a 

member of the Executive Board for 

the working group. 
Alaska supports a massive seafood industry and has the greatest number 

of domestic fish landings in the United States, with 59 percent of all U.S. 

seafood landings (measured by weight) occurring in Alaska. If it were a 

country, Alaska would be the ninth largest seafood producer in the world. 

The geographic area of responsibility for the Alaska Division covers 28 

percent of the U.S. EEZ, 70 percent of the U.S. continental shelf, and five of 

the 11 Large Marine Ecosystems located within the U.S. EEZ. 

OLE’s Alaska Division is unique in that the region only includes the state 

of Alaska, which is comprised of the mainland and more than 200 islands. 

Within this boundary lie some of most productive fishing grounds on the 

planet. Waters off Alaska account for more than half of all annual U.S. 

seafood harvests. Alaska also has five of the nation’s top 10 fishing ports 

ranked by value of landings.

Working with Regional Partners

Alaska’s vast geography, limited infrastructure, and complex fisheries 

management scheme necessitate robust interagency partnerships. These 

partnerships act as a force 

multiplier to maximize 

our enforcement footprint 

and minimize duplicative 

efforts. Although nationally 

OLE partners with the U.S. 

Coast Guard, U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service, and U.S. 

Forest Service, our regional 

partners are also essential. 

The Cooperative Enforcement 

Program provides the Division 

the ability to leverage the 

resources and assistance of 

the Alaska Wildlife Troopers. 

Additional strong working 

relationships with Alaska’s 

Department of Fish and 

Game, industry groups, 

and tribal governments are 

Staffing snapshot:

36 Full-Time Employees 

•	9 Special Agents

•	19 Enforcement Officers 

•	5 Mission Support 

•	3 Investigative Support

15 Contractors

AKD Budget: $5.3 million

Headquarters:

709 W. 9th Street

Room 831L

Juneau, AK 99802-1767

Field Offices: 

Anchorage

Dutch Harbor 

Homer

Juneau

Ketchikan

Kodiak 

Petersburg

Seward

Sitka

VMS:

618 Reporting Vessels

WILL ELLIS

Assistant Director

10 Office of Law Enforcement Annual Report FY17

Alaska Division
U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | National Marine Fisheries Service 11

instrumental in the successful 

enforcement of marine resources 

laws. 

The Division also relies on close 

working relationships with the 

North Pacific Fishery Management 

Council, International Whaling 

Commission, International Pacific 

Halibut Commission, Pacific 

Salmon Commission, North Pacific 

Anadromous Fish Commission, 

North Pacific Fisheries 

Commission, Pacific States 

Marine Fisheries Commission, and 

parties to the Convention on the 

Conservation and Management of 

Pollock Resources in the Central 

Bering Sea. Fishery management, 

along with the conservation of 

marine mammals and habitat, is 

supported by a robust scientific 

enterprise led by the NOAA 

Alaska Fisheries Science Center. 

It is within this governance and 

scientific framework that policy 

is created by NOAA and then 

enforced by the Division.

Significant Investigations

Protected Resources

OLE concluded an investigation 

involving the operator of a fishing 

vessel discharging a firearm at, or 

within 100 yards of, endangered 

Steller sea lions. The unlawful 

behavior occurred in June 2016 

near Sand Point, Alaska. In 

February 2017, NOAA’s GCES 

issued a Notice of Violation 

and Assessment (NOVA). The 

Respondent admitted liability and 

the case was settled for $4,500 in 

September 2017.

Sustainable Fisheries

OLE completed an investigation 

involving a company in Sand 

Point, Alaska, for biasing observer 

samples by sending boats with 

observers to a tender vessel 

docked at the processing plant. 

NOAA’s GCES issued a written 

warning to the company and 

its plant manager. The warning 

addressed the purposeful 

engagement in delivery practices 

by vessels to lower salmon 

bycatch numbers and impede 

the observers from collecting 

samples. This action resulted in a 

biasing of the observers’ sampling 
12 Office of Law Enforcement Annual Report FY17

procedures and a biasing of data 

collected by NOAA Fisheries. This 

was the first time this regulation 

has been applied to a processor 

for systemic action. The case 

resulted in fishery management 

council–level discussions into the 

need for regulatory and/or observer 

deployment changes. 

Magnuson-Stevens Act 

In February 2017, a team of 

six officers and special agents 

participated in a two-part operation 

that focused on investigating 

and resolving complaints made 

by fisheries observers. These 

complaints included safety 

infractions, vessel monitoring 

system issues, and gear violations, 

as well as allegations of observer 

interference and harassment. 

Collectively, there were more 

than 100 separate incidents 

involving just as many vessels and 

processors. More than 60 incidents 

were resolved by compliance 

assistance, written warning, or 

summary settlement. Additional 

progress was made on several 

complex investigations during 

the operation. Federal, state, and 

local law enforcement partners 

participated in the operation. 

Northern Pacific Halibut Act

OLE, with the support of Alaska 

Wildlife Troopers, completed an 

investigation where a Subsistence 

Halibut Registration Certificate 

(SHARC) holder was selling 

his subsistence-caught fish in 

Ketchikan. The investigation 

revealed an Alaska-based company 

purchased $1,870 worth of halibut 

from the SHARC holder. NOAA’s 

GCES issued a $6,870 NOVA, 

charging both seller and buyer 

jointly and severally. 

During a routine halibut offload, 

OLE’s enforcement officers noticed 

that the halibut seemed to be 

small. As the offload continued, 

all halibut under 10 pounds were 

measured. In total, 21 halibut 

were determined to be undersize; 

these fish were seized. Four of the 

undersized halibut were retained 

as evidence. NOAA GCES issued a 

$7,500 NOVA, charging the owner/

operator with one count of retaining 

undersized halibut in violation of 

the Halibut Act. 

OLE completed an investigation 

into the unlawful harvest and 

retention of halibut from the Sitka 

Sound Local Area Management 

Plan (LAMP) Area in FY 2017. The 

logbook and trip reports revealed 

that the owner/operator of the 

vessel under investigation retained 

127 pounds of halibut fished from 

inside the LAMP closed area. 

NOAA GCES issued a $5,000 

NOVA. 

Alaska Division
U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | National Marine Fisheries Service 13

State Law/Regulation

Other Federal Law/Regulation

Northern Pacific Halibut Act

Northern Pacific Fisheries Act

Marine Mammal Protection Act

Magnuson Stevens Act

Endangered Species Act

Lacey Act

Incidents by Law/Program

105

45

842

22

116

1,992

92

14

2,545

429

36

211

Investigation Dispositions

Adjudicated

Final Adjudication 

Pending

Closed – No Penalty

or Prosecution

Ongoing

Air

Land

Sea

138

81

5

Number of Patrols

Complaints Investigations

Number of Incidents Reported in FY 2017

1,484 1,744

Closed

Open

2,977

251

FY 2017 Incident Status 

Enforcement Activities at a Glance

Complaint: Information reported to OLE from any source outside OLE 

regarding an alleged violation(s).

Investigation: An inquiry initiated by OLE personnel. This includes all 

vessel boardings, dealer inquiries, etc. when checking for compliance 

with all applicable laws and regulations under the purview of NOAA.

Investigation Dispositions

Number of Incidents Reported in FY 2017

FY 2017 Incident Status 

Number of Patrols

Incidents by Law/Program
The Northeast Division covers the 20 northeastern states from Virginia to 

Maine to Minnesota and includes the Great Lakes. The Division’s area of 

responsibility covers more than 100,000 square nautical miles of the U.S. 

EEZ, 110 international Ports of Entry, and 265 individual domestic ports. 

Four of the top 10 international landing ports, by weight and value, 

are found in the Division—New York, Portland, Boston, and Norfolk. 

Additionally, the Division has four of the top 10 states for domestic fish 

landings in the nation; this includes Massachusetts with the port of New 

Bedford, which has led the United States for 14 years as the top port in 

terms of value landed—a direct result of the scallop fishery. 

The Division is also responsible for the protection and enforcement 

of regulations in the three national marine sanctuaries—Thunder Bay, 

Stellwagen Bank, and Monitor.

Throughout FY 2017, the Division had more than 227,000 individual fishing 

trips, which resulted in the landing of more than 5.2 billion pounds of fish at 

a total value surpassing $1.2 billion. 

Working with Regional Partners

The Division has strong working relationships with the 10 coastal state 

fishery enforcement agencies under the Cooperative Enforcement Program. 

These relationships enable 

OLE to leverage resources 

and improve compliance with 

federal fishery regulations. 

In addition to state partners, 

the Division works closely 

with three U.S. Coast 

Guard districts. Recent 

partnerships have expanded 

with key federal agencies, 

including the Food and Drug 

Administration and Customs 

and Border Protection, which 

are involved in ensuring 

consumer safety and integrity 

as it relates to seafood fraud 

and wildlife trafficking.

14 Office of Law Enforcement Annual Report FY17

Northeast Division

Staffing snapshot:

37 Full-Time Employees 

•	15 Special Agents

•	12 Enforcement Officers

•	5 Mission Support 

•	5 Investigative Support

5 Contractors

NED Budget: $12.7 million

Headquarters:

55 Great Republic Drive

Suite 02-300

Gloucester, MA 01930

Field Offices: 

Bellport, NY

Boston, MA

Ellsworth, ME

Falmouth, MA

Gloucester, MA

New Bedford, MA

Newport News, VA

Northfield, NJ

Portland, ME

Portsmouth, NH

Salisbury, MD

Scituate, MA

Wall, NJ

VMS:

957 Reporting Vessels

TIM DONOVAN

Assistant Director
U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | National Marine Fisheries Service 15

The Division also works closely with 

two regional fishery management 

councils and one major interstate 

commission. The New England 

Fishery Management Council is 

one of eight regional councils 

established by the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation 

and Management Act (MSA) and 

manages fishery resources within 

the EEZ off the coasts of Maine, 

New Hampshire, Massachusetts, 

Rhode Island, and Connecticut. 

The Mid-Atlantic Council is 

responsible for management of 

fisheries in federal waters that 

occur predominantly off the midAtlantic coast. States with voting 

representation on the Mid-Atlantic 

Council include New York, New 

Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, 

Maryland, Virginia, and North 

Carolina. 

The Division also provides support 

to the Atlantic States Marine 

Fisheries Commission. This group 

was formed by the 15 Atlantic 

coast states in 1942 in recognition 

that fish do not adhere to political 

boundaries. The Commission serves 

as a deliberative body, coordinating 

the conservation and management 

of the states’ shared near-shore 

fishery resources—marine, shell, 

and anadromous—for sustainable 

use.

Significant Investigations

Protected Resources

The Division completed an 

investigation related to the illegal 

take of a seal. The investigation 

revealed that while fishing off the 

coast of Acadia National Park 

a vessel’s captain intentionally 

discharged his rifle into the water in 

an effort to scare away seals. After 

this shooting, one seal was found 

floating in the water. The captain 

pleaded guilty and was sentenced 

in U.S. District Court to 3 days of 

imprisonment and a $1,000 fine for 

killing a federally protected marine 

mammal. 

Sustainable Fisheries

The Division completed a halibut 

focused operation, which was 

created in response to a request 

from the New England Fishery 

Management Council. The Council 

requested that OLE, alongside the 

State of Maine and U.S. Coast 

Guard, make the halibut fishery 

a priority for the 2017 season. 

The operation lasted 60 days and 

tallied approximately 225 patrol 

hours. During this time, 52 vessels 

were boarded and eight dealers 

were checked for compliance 

with Atlantic halibut and other 

applicable laws and regulations, 

which resulted in a total of 

16 violations. The violations 

included expired permits (dealer, 

operator, and fisheries), retaining 

undersized lobster, and retaining 

a v-notched lobster, among 

other violations. Two summary 

settlements totaling $1,000 were 
16 Office of Law Enforcement Annual Report FY17

issued for fishing for halibut in 

federal waters without a federal 

permit and failing to renew 

operators permit for 6 years. 

Also during operation hours and 

while on patrol with the Maine 

Marine Patrol, OLE participated in 

two rescues where vessels were 

taking on water and had to be 

towed to safety.

Carlos Rafael, owner of one of 

the largest commercial fishing 

businesses in the United States, 

was sentenced to 46 months in 

prison and 3 years of supervised 

release, during which he is banned 

from working in the fishing industry. 

The Court also ordered Rafael to 

pay a fine of $200,000, restitution 

to the U.S. Treasury of $108,929, 

and forfeited four fishing vessels 

with an appraised value of $2.2 

million. 

In March 2017, Rafael pleaded 

guilty to one count of conspiring 

to commit offenses against the 

United States, 23 counts of false 

labeling and fish identification, two 

counts of falsifying federal records, 

one count of bulk cash smuggling, 

and one count of tax evasion. The 

charges arose out of an undercover 

investigation in which 

federal agents posed 

as organized crime 

figures interested 

in buying Carlos 

Seafood. From 2012 

to January 2016, 

Rafael intentionally 

misreported to 

NOAA approximately 

782,812 pounds 

of fish in order to 

evade federal quotas 

designed to guarantee 

the sustainability of 

certain fish species. 

Magnuson-Stevens Act

OLE opened an 

investigation involving 

false statements 

made by a fishing vessel operator 

to a Massachusetts Environmental 

Police Officer. The investigation 

revealed that the vessel operator 

concealed over 360 pounds of 

Atlantic sea scallops and did not 

report the total catch to NOAA 

Fisheries. The Office of General 

Counsel, Enforcement Section 

(GCES) issued a joint and several 

NOVA civil penalty for $15,000 to 

the respondents. 

Seafood Fraud

An investigation into clam fishing 

inside the New York Bight closed 

area found that a fishing vessel 

operator, on two occasions, fished 

for, possessed, and landed 18 

cages of surf clams. This area is 

closed to surf clam and ocean 

quahog fishing due to adverse 

environmental conditions, 

specifically contamination by 

hazardous pollutants. OLE 

contacted the U.S. Food and 

Drug Administration, New 

Jersey Department of Health, 

and New Jersey Department of 

Environmental Protection to notify 

them of the situation. State and 

federal officials were able to work 

together to destroy the hazardous 

product. GCES issued a $27,000 

NOVA to the fishing vessel owner 

and operator. 

Northeast Division
State Law/Regulation

Other Federal Law/Regulation

Marine Mammal Protection Act

Magnuson Stevens Act

Lacey Act

Highly Migratory Species

Endangered Species Act

Atlantic States Fisheries

Incidents by Law/Program

93

14

102

1,073

21

478

15

201

1,611

174

71

140

Investigation Dispositions

Adjudicated

Final Adjudication 

Pending

Closed – No Penalty

or Prosecution

Ongoing

Air

Land

Sea

138

81

5

Number of Patrols

Complaints Investigations

Number of Incidents Reported in FY 2017

309 1,688

Closed

Open

1,751

246

FY 2017 Incident Status 

Enforcement Activities at a Glance

Complaint: Information reported to OLE from any source outside OLE 

regarding an alleged violation(s).

Investigation: An inquiry initiated by OLE personnel. This includes all 

vessel boardings, dealer inquiries, etc. when checking for compliance 

with all applicable laws and regulations under the purview of NOAA.

Investigation Dispositions

Number of Incidents Reported in FY 2017

FY 2017 Incident Status 

Number of Patrols

Incidents by Law/Program

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | National Marine Fisheries Service 17
The Pacific Islands Division was established in October 2004 and is 

geographically the largest division in OLE. Bound by the Hawaiian Islands 

in the north, American Samoa and U.S. Pacific remote island areas in 

the south, and the Mariana Archipelago (including Guam) in the west, the 

Division encompasses the largest geographical management area within 

both NOAA Fisheries and the regional fishery management council system. 

The total area of the U.S. EEZ waters included in the region is more than 

1.5 million square nautical miles, which accounts for nearly half of the entire 

U.S. EEZ.

Within this massive marine area is the Papahānaumokuākea Marine 

National Monument—which OLE is charged with protecting and spans 

nearly 583,000 square miles—the Marianas Trench, Pacific Remote Islands, 

and Rose Atoll Marine National Monuments, as well as the Hawaiian 

Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary and National Marine 

Sanctuary of American Samoa.

The Division serves as the center of activity for implementation of both 

domestic and international responsibilities related to the Port State 

Measures Agreement. Numerous longline and purse seine vessels 

within the U.S. permitted fleet operate extensively throughout U.S. and 

international waters. The need to effectively monitor these U.S. vessels, 

along with foreign vessels that engage in IUU fishing, poses a unique 

enforcement challenge for the Division. 

18 Office of Law Enforcement Annual Report FY17

Pacific Islands Division

Staffing snapshot:

27 Full-Time Employees 

•	9 Special Agents

•	8 Enforcement Officers

•	4 Mission Support 

•	6 Investigative Support

0 Contractors

PID Budget: $6.6 million

Headquarters:

1845 Wasp Blvd.

Building 176

Honolulu, HI 96818

Field Offices: 

American Samoa

Guam

Honolulu, HI

VMS:

270 Reporting Vessels

BILL PICKERING

Assistant Director
U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | National Marine Fisheries Service 19

Working with Regional 

Partners

The extensive landing, importation, 

and processing of fish within 

Guam, American Samoa, and the 

Commonwealth of the Northern 

Mariana Islands (CNMI), and 

landings by U.S. purse seine 

vessels in foreign ports, demand a 

significant amount of the Division’s 

attention. The Division works 

closely with the governments of 

the foreign nations in the region, 

the U.S. Coast Guard, and the U.S. 

Department of State in supporting 

and enforcing a number of treaties 

and conventions, such as the 

South Pacific Tuna Treaty, Western 

and Central Pacific Fisheries 

Commission, South Pacific 

Regional Fisheries Management 

Organization, Inter-American 

Tropical Tuna Commission, and 

Convention on the Conservation of 

Antarctic Marine Living Resources. 

Significant Investigations

Marine Mammal Protection Act

A 3-year case related to the 

harassment of spinner dolphins 

closed after an Administrative Law 

Judge upheld the penalty assessed 

by NOAA GCES. The investigation 

began when an officer with the 

State of Hawaii Department of Land 

and Natural Resources, a state JEA 

partner of the Division, observed 

a commercial dolphin tour vessel 

doing circles around a pod of 

spinner dolphins at what appeared 

to be a high rate of speed. A $2,500 

NOVA was issued to the vessel 

owner and vessel operator for the 

unlawful take of a marine mammal. 

Magnuson-Stevens Act

The captain of a longline fishing 

vessel conducted unwanted 

sexual touching of a female 

fishery observer on a Hawaiibased longline fishing vessel. 

The advance occurred while the 

female observer was alone with the 

captain in the galley on the day the 

vessel was returning to port from 

a fishing trip. The observer, who 

resisted the captain’s advance, 

reported the incident to OLE and 

was subsequently interviewed. 

Follow-on interviews conducted 

with the captain, crew, and another 

female fishery observer, who had 

previously served on the vessel, 

led to the issuance of a NOVA for 
20 Office of Law Enforcement Annual Report FY17

$80,000 and a 120-day Notice of 

Permit Sanction for the respective 

vessel.

Endangered Species Act

In July 2017, an individual was 

sentenced to 4 years in prison for 

harassing a pregnant Hawaiian 

monk seal. The investigation 

began in 2016 when an online 

video recording was shared over 

social media that depicted a 

male repeatedly assaulting and 

aggressively harassing a Hawaiian 

monk seal with his bare hands 

at Salt Pond Beach on the west 

side of the island of Kauai. Kauai 

County Prosecuting Office charged 

this investigation under the State 

of Hawaii laws, which makes it a 

Class C felony for the take of a 

Hawaiian monk seal. The defendant 

was arrested for his crime and later 

entered a no contest plea to the 

felony charges. This case is the first 

conviction under the new felony 

monk seal harassment law in the 

State of Hawaii.

International Fisheries

A Hawaii longline fishing vessel 

was fishing on the high seas with 

an expired permit under the High 

Seas Fishing Compliance Act and 

an expired area endorsement for 

the Western and Central Pacific 

Fisheries Commission. The vessel 

completed three fishing trips from 

December 23, 2015, through March 

15, 2016, after the permits expired. 

GCES issued a NOVA for $11,000. 

OLE completed an investigation 

involving a U.S.-flagged longline 

vessel that conducted fishing 

activities within the waters of 

Samoa. GCES issued a NOVA 

for $52,217.80 to the owner and 

operator of the fishing vessel for 

illegally fishing within the Samoan 

EEZ without authorization.

In FY 2017, OLE and GCES 

completed enforcement actions 

on seven purse seine cases. 

Collectively, the assessed penalties 

totaled $2,317,516. 

Pacific Islands Division
U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | National Marine Fisheries Service 21

Western Pacific/FFA

Other Federal Law/Regulation

Marine Mammal Protection Act

Magnuson Stevens Act

Endangered Species Act

Incidents by Law/Program

32

111

70

136

30

286

7

50 32

Investigation Dispositions

Adjudicated

Final Adjudication 

Pending

Closed – No Penalty

or Prosecution

Ongoing

Air

Land

Sea

215

70

10

Number of Patrols

Complaints Investigations

Number of Incidents Reported in FY 2017

208 171

Closed

Open

2,977

251

FY 2017 Incident Status 

Enforcement Activities at a Glance

Complaint: Information reported to OLE from any source outside OLE 

regarding an alleged violation(s).

Investigation: An inquiry initiated by OLE personnel. This includes all 

vessel boardings, dealer inquiries, etc. when checking for compliance 

with all applicable laws and regulations under the purview of NOAA.

Investigation Dispositions

Number of Incidents Reported in FY 2017

FY 2017 Incident Status 

Number of Patrols

Incidents by Law/Program
The Southeast Division is the largest of the continental divisions, with 

approximately 3,230 miles of coastline covering the South Atlantic, Gulf 

of Mexico, and the Caribbean. North Carolina is the northern-most state 

of the Division, followed by South Carolina, Georgia, and the East Coast 

of Florida; the Dry Tortugas at the western extent of the Florida Keys 

is the southern boundary. The Gulf of Mexico picks up at 83 degrees 

west longitude following the coast of western Florida, around the Florida 

Panhandle, Alabama, Mississippi, and then down the Texas coast to the 

international border with Mexico. The Caribbean area of responsibility 

surrounds Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, completing the Division’s 

area of responsibility. In total, the Division is charged with monitoring and 

enforcing marine resource laws over 350,000 square miles of the EEZ. 

The fishery fleet in the Division is comprised of smaller commercial vessels 

relative to other areas of the nation, but has the largest recreational fisheries 

sector in the continental United States. The Division’s federally permitted 

commercial fleet conducted more than 184,700 trips in 2016 totaling 

upward of $643.5 million in revenue, while the number of recreational 

fishing trips far exceeded those numbers with an estimated 55.5 million 

fishing trips. 

In addition to domestic fisheries, the Division is responsible for three national 

marine sanctuaries—the Florida Keys, Gray’s Reef, and Flower Garden 

Banks—and is actively engaged in combatting IUU fishing and seafood fraud 

through the monitoring of seafood entering through U.S.-Mexico gateways. 

Working with Regional Partners

To accomplish its mission, the Division works closely with the NOAA 

Fisheries Southeast Regional Office and the Southeast Fisheries Science 

Center, two interstate marine fisheries commissions, three regional fishery 

management councils (Gulf of Mexico, South Atlantic, and Caribbean), as 

well as numerous local, state, territorial, and federal agency partners. 

The CEP is the main partner program that the Division relies on to increase 

patrol, monitoring, and inspection services across the region. Seven states, 

one commonwealth, and one territory have signed agreements to partner 

with the Division. 

22 Office of Law Enforcement Annual Report FY17

Southeast Division

Staffing snapshot:

38 Full-Time Employees 

•	19 Special Agents

•	11 Enforcement Officers

•	2 Mission Support 

•	6 Investigative Support

2 Contractors

SED Budget: $12 million

Headquarters:

263 13th Avenue South

St. Petersburg, FL 33701

Field Offices: 

Charleston, SC

Corpus Christi, TX

Houston/Galveston, TX

Marathon, FL

Miami/Sunrise, FL

Morehead City, NC 

New Orleans, LA

Panama City, FL

Port Orange, FL

San Juan, Puerto Rico

St. Petersburg, FL

VMS:

1,147 Reporting Vessels 

TRACY DUNN

Assistant Director
U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | National Marine Fisheries Service 23

Significant Investigations

Lacey Act

The Division concluded a criminal 

investigation of 13 individuals 

stemming from a February 2010 

commercial poaching of striped 

bass from the U.S. EEZ off the 

North Carolina coast. For the 

2010 winter Atlantic striped bass 

ocean trawl season, an estimated 

90,000 pounds of North Carolina’s 

160,000-pound ocean trawl quota 

was taken illegally from the EEZ. 

OLE was able to identify 

multiple individuals involved in 

the poaching activity. In March 

2015, the investigative findings 

resulted in federal criminal Lacey 

Act indictments of 13 individual 

commercial ocean trawl captains 

in the Eastern District of North 

Carolina for the illegal harvest and 

sale of Atlantic striped bass from 

federal waters off the coast of 

North Carolina. 

Of the 13 defendants, 12 pleaded 

guilty and one died before being 

prosecuted. Collectively, the 

sentencings concluded in 2017 and 

resulted in 35.5 years of probation, 

30 months of home confinement, 

900 hours of community service, 

$3,000 in fines, $1.23 million in 

restitution costs, and the forfeiture 

of seven vessels.

The Division concluded a joint 

investigation by OLE, the U.S. Fish 

and Wildlife Service, Mississippi 

Department of Marine Resources, 

and U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, 

Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. 

The subject of the investigation 

was prosecuted for violation of the 

Lacey Act for selling illegally caught 

seafood, failing to report seafood 

purchases, and buying fish from 

recreational anglers for commercial 

use. He was also prosecuted for 

the illegal possession of a shortbarreled shotgun. In July 2017, 

he was sentenced to 25 months’ 

incarceration, followed by 3 years 

of supervised release. He was also 

ordered to pay a $3,000 fine. 

In 2017, the Division completed an 

investigation that uncovered a yearlong scheme where commercial 

shrimp trawlers were being used 

to land shrimp in Texas that were 

harvested in Louisiana. The nine 

fishermen under investigation did 

not have the proper state permits 

for their activities, nor did they file 

proper trip tickets. Their actions 

caused the shrimp season to 

remain open too long, thereby 

impacting the status of the stock. 

Seven of the defendants pleaded 

guilty to a misdemeanor count of 

the Lacey Act and received fines; 

one defendant pleaded guilty to 

one felony count of the Lacey Act 

and was sentenced to 5 years of 

supervised release and a $2,000 

fine. The last defendant pleaded 

guilty to two felony counts of the 

Lacey Act and received 2 years’ 
24 Office of Law Enforcement Annual Report FY17

probation and is prohibited from 

recreational hunting or fishing 

within those 2 years. He was 

also assessed an $8,000 fine. 

This investigation was worked 

jointly with the U.S. Coast Guard, 

Louisiana Department of Wildlife 

and Fisheries, and Texas Parks and 

Wildlife Department. 

Marine Protection and 

Sanctuaries Act 

As a result of an investigation a 

defendant was sentenced to pay 

a $2,500 fine, received a 2-year 

probation term, and publish a letter 

of apology on fishing websites for 

violating the Marine Protection 

and Sanctuaries Act when he was 

caught spearfishing illegally in Key 

Largo, Florida. The defendant also 

forfeited his spearfishing gear used 

in the commission of the crime. 

Magnuson-Stevens Act

From 2013 to 2016, two individuals 

illegally harvested and sold 

American red snapper from the 

Gulf of Mexico EEZ to multiple 

restaurants and markets in Texas. 

The Division began to uncover the 

violations in March 2016 when the 

fishermen used a 36-foot vessel to 

illegally harvest and land 488 red 

snapper and 152 vermillion snapper 

during a closed season. The retail 

value of the fish was approximately 

$30,000. Upon further investigation, 

it was found that collectively the 

duo illegally harvested more than 

1,900 pounds of fish. In August 

2017, both defendants pleaded 

guilty to one felony count of false 

statements. Sentencing took 

place in November 2017—one 

defendant was sentenced to 2 

months’ imprisonment and 4 

months home confinement, and the 

other was sentenced to 6 months 

in prison, followed by 6 months of 

home confinement and 3 years of 

probation, during which time they 

are prohibited from fishing. 

OLE uncovered information 

pertaining to a vessel conducting 

illegal sales of prohibited red 

snapper and coordinated with CBP, 

Coast Guard Investigative Service, 

and Texas Parks and Wildlife to 

board the vessel at sea. Upon 

inspection, a hidden compartment 

professionally built into the vessel 

was found to contain 268 illegal 

red snapper, 60 vermillion snapper, 

and four trigger fish. These fish 

were all caught in federal waters 

during a closed season. The vessel 

was seized by CBP for having the 

hidden compartment, while OLE 

seized the fish and all fishing gear. 

The subsequent investigation 

revealed that the operator had 

illegally sold to markets at least 

15 separate times. GCES issued 

a NOVA in the amount of $30,000 

for the closed season harvest 

and $15,000 for making false 

statements during the investigation.

In coordination with the Florida 

Fish and Wildlife Commission, OLE 

boarded a vessel that was inside 

the bottom longline closure area 

and that was found to be operating 

without a Gulf of Mexico longline 

endorsement and using reef fish 

as bait. The vessel was escorted 

into port and their catch of 449 

pounds of reef fish was seized. A 

subsequent investigation indicated 

that the owner of the vessel had 

knowledge of the vessel’s illegal 

activity. GCES issued a NOVA in the 

amount of $22,000 for the violations.

Southeast Division
U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | National Marine Fisheries Service 25

Endangered Species Act

Highly Migratory Species

Lacey Act

Magnuson Stevens Act

Marine Mammal Protection Act

Marine Sanctuaries Act

Other Federal Law/Regulation

Incidents by Law/Program

50

124

32

686

39

14

44

Adjudicated

Final Adjudication 

Pending

Closed – No Penalty

or Prosecution

Ongoing

529

213

168

77

Investigation Dispositions

Air

Land

Sea

111

85

3

Number of Patrols

Complaints Investigations

Number of Incidents Reported in FY 2017

201 788

Closed

Open

698

291

FY 2017 Incident Status 

Enforcement Activities at a Glance

Complaint: Information reported to OLE from any source outside OLE 

regarding an alleged violation(s).

Investigation: An inquiry initiated by OLE personnel. This includes all 

vessel boardings, dealer inquiries, etc. when checking for compliance 

with all applicable laws and regulations under the purview of NOAA.

Investigation Dispositions

Number of Incidents Reported in FY 2017

FY 2017 Incident Status 

Number of Patrols

Incidents by Law/Program
The West Coast Division encompasses the coastal states of Washington, 

Oregon, and California. The area of responsibility also extends inland to 

Idaho, North and South Dakota, and Montana. 

This unique division shares borders with Canada and Mexico, has five 

national marine sanctuaries along its coast, and includes 290 Marine 

Conservation Areas. The Division is responsible for 1,293 miles of Pacific 

coastline and 7,863 miles of tidal shoreline, 222,471 nautical miles of EEZ, 

and 339,375 square miles of land encompassing numerous rivers and 

tributaries feeding into the Pacific Ocean.

Two of the top 10 international ports for exporting and importing seafood 

products by weight and value are found in the Division—Seattle and Los 

Angeles. In addition, the Division monitors 16 international airports, 21 

seaports, and numerous border crossings for imports/exports of seafood 

products.

Working with Regional Partners

The Division’s enforcement officers and special agents rely on federal and 

state partnerships to address a wide variety of federal violations. Federal 

partners like the U.S. Coast Guard, Customs and Border Protection, 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Environmental Protection Agency 

also help the Division identify and investigate incidents at sea, in critical 

26 Office of Law Enforcement Annual Report FY17

West Coast Division

Staffing snapshot:

33 Full-Time Employees 

•	9 Special Agents

•	9 Enforcement Officers

•	7 Mission Support 

•	8 Investigative Support

0 Contractors

WCD Budget: $8.3 million

Headquarters:

7600 Sand Point Way NE

Seattle, WA 98115

Field Offices: 

Alameda, CA

Arcata, CA

Astoria, OR

Bellingham, WA

Coos Bay, OR

Lacey, WA

Long Beach, CA

Monterey, CA

Newport, OR

Portland, OR

Sacramento, CA

San Diego, CA

Santa Rosa, CA

Seattle, WA 

Westport, WA

VMS:

1,249 Reporting Vessels

GREG BUSCH,

Assistant Director
U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | National Marine Fisheries Service 27

habitat, and on the borders. Our 

state law enforcement partners 

in Washington, Oregon, and 

California are given authority and 

responsibility to conduct patrols 

and outreach in support of the CEP.

Native Tribes located throughout 

the region have long been an 

asset to the Division, but recently 

cooperative efforts have been 

a focal point that has provided 

additional resources. 

An integral part of OLE’s 

enforcement effort is done through 

education and outreach efforts. 

Ensuring that the general public, 

importers/exporters, and the 

commercial fishing industry have 

the latest information on regulations 

is of the utmost importance to 

maintaining sustainability and 

conservation standards. 

Significant Investigations

Endangered Species Act

In 2014, a well-known fishing guide 

led a promotional fishing trip on the 

Cowlitz River in Washington State 

with the top salespeople from a 

national fishing bait company. He 

encouraged two of the men on the 

trip to catch and retain two native 

Coho salmon, which are protected 

under the Endangered Species Act 

and are not to be removed from 

the water. After the clients landed 

the fish, the guide clubbed the fish 

and cut off their adipose fins, in an 

effort to make it appear they were 

hatchery fish and therefore legal 

to catch. However, the catching 

and clubbing of the ESA-listed 

fish was broadcast on the web 

and later reported. In 2017, the 

guide pleaded guilty to a single 

misdemeanor count of violating the 

ESA and was sentenced to pay a 

$7,500 fine, placed on 1-year of 

probation, and ordered to serve 40 

hours of community service and to 

publish an article in a reputable fish 

and game magazine admitting what 

he did.

Lacey Act

The Division completed an 

investigation regarding the illegal 

fishing and sale of Chinook salmon. 

In 2014, a Yakama Tribal member 

offered for sale “fresh caught” 

Chinook salmon from the Columbia 

River to undercover special agents 

from OLE and the U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service, as well as to an 

undercover detective with the 

Oregon State Police. The salmon 

were being offered during a period 

when sales of salmon by Yakama 

Tribal members is prohibited. The 

subject pleaded guilty to three 
28 Office of Law Enforcement Annual Report FY17

misdemeanor counts of unlawful 

fishing during a closed season 

and was ordered to pay $720 

restitution, placed on 2 years of 

probation, and ordered to perform 

25 hours of community service. 

An investigation into the 

importation of abalone was 

completed after the suspect 

entered a guilty plea and an 

agreement to forfeit profit to the 

U.S. Government. The investigation 

revealed that on 43 occasions 

between February 2012 and 

July 2015 a company knowingly 

imported 148,500 pounds of 

abalone with a declared value of 

approximately $3 million through 

the Otay Mesa Commercial Port 

of Entry in San Diego using false 

Mexican invoices. The owner of 

the company pleaded guilty to 

submitting a false record for the 

imported product. 

Wildlife Trafficking

In October 2014, a U.S. citizen 

attempted to smuggle eight 

dried totoaba swim bladders in 

his vehicle from Mexico through 

the San Diego port of entry. The 

discovery of these items initiated an 

investigation which during FY 2017 

resulted in the arrest, indictment, 

and sentencing of four individuals 

involved in the smuggling 

conspiracy. In February 2017, the 

fourth defendant pleaded guilty 

to one count of smuggling for his 

role in the swim bladder smuggling 

operation. The defendant was 

sentenced to 5 years’ probation 

and required to pay a $100 penalty 

and restitution to Mexico in the 

amount of $15,000. 

Northern Pacific Halibut Act

OLE completed a 2016 

investigation of a commercial 

halibut vessel boarded at sea by 

the U.S. Coast Guard and an OLE 

officer. The owner/operator was 

charged with failure to facilitate 

a boarding, interference with an 

inspection, and careful release 

violations. Undersized halibut were 

observed being brought aboard 

the vessel and run through an 

automatic hook removal system 

that can split the jaw or otherwise 

severely injure the fish prior to 

being returned to the sea. The 

owner/operator also failed to 

provide a boarding ladder or 

otherwise assist in the boarding, 

and directed the crew to discard 

undersized halibut run through 

the hook removal system after 

they were directed by the officer 

to retain for inspection. NOAA 

GCES issued a $6,000 NOVA to the 

owner/operator. 

West Coast Division
U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | National Marine Fisheries Service 29

Other Federal Law/Regulation

Northern Pacific Halibut Act

Marine Mammal Protection Act

Magnuson Stevens Act

Lacey Act

Highly Migratory Species

Endangered Species Act (ESA) & CITES

Incidents by Law/Program

29

187

179

138

21

43

46

501

93

26 22

Investigation Dispositions

Adjudicated

Final Adjudication 

Pending

Closed – No Penalty

or Prosecution

Ongoing

Air

Land

Sea

183

19

1

Number of Patrols

Complaints Investigations

Number of Incidents Reported in FY 2017

306 337

Closed

Open

528

115

FY 2017 Incident Status 

Enforcement Activities at a Glance

Complaint: Information reported to OLE from any source outside OLE 

regarding an alleged violation(s).

Investigation: An inquiry initiated by OLE personnel. This includes all 

vessel boardings, dealer inquiries, etc. when checking for compliance 

with all applicable laws and regulations under the purview of NOAA.

Investigation Dispositions

Number of Incidents Reported in FY 2017

FY 2017 Incident Status 

Number of Patrols

Incidents by Law/Program
Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 

U.S.C. 1531-1543). This act prohibits 

the importation, exportation, taking, and 

commercialization in interstate or foreign 

commerce of fish, wildlife, and plants that 

are listed as threatened or endangered 

species. The act also implements the 

provisions of the Convention on International 

Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). 

Lacey Act Amendments of 1981 (16 

U.S.C. 3371-3378). This act prohibits the 

importation, exportation, transportation, 

sale, or purchase of fish, wildlife, or plants 

taken or possessed in violation of state, 

federal, tribal, and foreign laws. It also 

authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to 

designate injurious wildlife and ensure 

the humane treatment of wildlife shipped 

to the United States. Originally enacted in 

1900, the Lacey Act is the nation’s oldest 

federal wildlife protection law. 

Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 

Conservation and Management Act 

(16 U.S.C. 1801-1882). This act is the 

primary law governing marine fisheries 

management in U.S. federal waters. First 

passed in 1976, the MSA fosters long-term 

biological and economic sustainability of 

our nation’s marine fisheries within the 

U.S. EEZ. Key objectives of the MSA are 

to prevent overfishing, rebuild overfished 

stocks, increase long-term economic and 

social benefits, and ensure a safe and 

sustainable supply of seafood. 

Marine Mammal Protection Act of 

1972 (16 U.S.C. 1361-1407). This act 

establishes a moratorium on the take 

and importation of marine mammals, 

including parts and products, and defines 

federal responsibilities for the conservation 

of marine mammals. The Department 

of Commerce through the National 

Marine Fisheries Service is charged with 

protecting whales, dolphins, porpoises, 

seals, and sea lions. Walrus, manatees, 

otters, and polar bears are protected by 

the Department of the Interior through the 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Animal 

and Plant Health Inspection Service, a 

part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 

is responsible for regulations managing 

marine mammals in captivity. 

National Marine Sanctuaries Act 

(16 U.S.C. 1431-1439). This act 

authorizes the Secretary of Commerce 

to designate and protect areas of the 

marine environment with special national 

significance due to their conservation, 

recreational, ecological, historical, 

scientific, cultural, archeological, 

educational, or esthetic qualities as 

national marine sanctuaries. Day-today management of national marine 

sanctuaries has been delegated by the 

Secretary of Commerce to NOAA’s Office of 

National Marine Sanctuaries. The primary 

objective of the NMSA is to protect marine 

resources, such as coral reefs, sunken 

historical vessels, or unique habitats. 

Appendix

30 Office of Law Enforcement Annual Report FY17

NOAA’s Office of 

Law Enforcement 

is responsible for 

enforcing more than 

35 federal statutes, 

with the majority of 

cases falling under the 

ESA, Lacey Act, MSA, 

MMPA, NMSA, and 

NPHA. 
U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | National Marine Fisheries Service 31

Northern Pacific Halibut Act of 1982 

(16 U.S.C. 773-773k). This act is the 

implementing legislation for the Convention 

between the United States and Canada 

for the preservation of the halibut fishery 

of the northern Pacific Ocean and Bering 

Sea. The act authorizes the Secretary 

of State, with the concurrence of the 

Secretary of Commerce, to accept or reject 

on behalf of the United States the halibut 

fishery regulations and management 

recommendations developed by the 

International Pacific Halibut Commission 

(IPHC). The act also authorizes the North 

Pacific Fishery Management Council and 

the Pacific Fishery Management Council to 

develop, and the Secretary of Commerce 

to implement, additional halibut fishery 

regulations governing the U.S. portion of 

Convention waters. Ultimately, the act was 

created to conserve, manage, and rebuild 

the halibut stocks in the Convention Area 

to those levels that would achieve and 

maintain the maximum sustainable yield 

from the fishery. 

Other Statutes and 

Responsibilities

Agreement on Port State Measures to 

Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, 

Unreported and Unregulated Fishing 

2015 (16 U.S.C. 7401-7409)

American Fisheries Act of 1998 

(Pub. Law 105-277)

Anadromous Fish Products Act 

(16 U.S.C. 1822 note, Section 801(f)) 

Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978 

(16 U.S.C. 2401-2413) 

Antarctic Marine Living Resources 

Convention Act of 1984 (16 U.S.C. 

2431-2444)

Antarctic Protection Act of 1990 

(16 U.S.C. 2465(a)) 

Antigua Convention Implementing Act 

of 2015 (Pub. Law 114-181) 

Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative 

Management Act (16 U.S.C. 5103(b))

Atlantic Salmon Convention Act of 1982 

(16 U.S.C. 3601-3608) 

Atlantic Striped Bass Conservation Act 

(16 U.S.C. 1851 note)

Atlantic Tunas Convention Act of 1975 

(16 U.S.C. 971-971k)

Billfish Conservation Act of 2012 

(Pub. Law 112-183, 126 Stat. 1422-1423)

Convention on the Conservation and 

Management of High Seas Fishery 

Resources in the South Pacific 2017 

(16 U.S.C. 7801-7810)

Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources 

Act (30 U.S.C. 1401 et seq.) 

Dolphin Protection Consumer 

Information Act (16 U.S.C. 1385 et seq.)

Driftnet Impact Monitoring, Assessment, 

and Control Act (16 U.S.C. 1822 note, 

section 4006) 

Eliminate, Neutralize, and Disrupt 

Wildlife Trafficking 2015 (16 U.S.C. 

7601-7644)

Fish and Seafood Promotion Act of 1986 

(16 U.S.C. 4001-4017) 

Fisherman’s Protective Act of 1967

(22 U.S.C. 1980(g)) 

Fur Seal Act Amendments of 1983 

(16 U.S.C. 1151-1175) 

High Seas Driftnet Fishing Moratorium 

Protection Act (16 U.S.C. 1826(d)-1826(k)) 

High Seas Fishing Compliance Act 

(16 U.S.C. 5506(a)) 

Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated 

Fishing Enforcement Act of 2015 

(Public Law 114-81)

Land Remote-Sensing Policy Act of 1992 

(15 U.S.C. 5601 et seq.) 

North Pacific Anadromous Stocks 

Convention Act of 1992 (16 U.S.C. 

5002-5012) 

North Pacific Fisheries Convention 2017 

(16 U.S.C. 7701-7710)

Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Convention 

Act of 1995 (16 U.S.C. 5601-5612)

Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion Act 

of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 9101 et seq.)

Pacific Albacore Tuna Treaty Act 

(Pub. Law 108-219, 118 Stat. 615- 617, 

16 U.S.C. 1821 note) 

Shark Conservation Act (Pub. Law 

111-348, 124 Stat. 3668-3673, 16 U.S.C. 

1801 note) 

Shark Finning Prohibition Act (Pub. Law 

106-557, 114 Stat. 2772- 2775, 16 U.S.C. 

1822 note) 

South Pacific Tuna Act of 1988 (16 U.S.C. 

973-973r) 

Sponge Act (16 U.S.C. 781 et seq.)

Tuna Conventions Act of 1950 (16 U.S.C. 

§§ 951-961) 

Weather Modifications Reporting Act 

(15 U.S.C. 330-330e)

Western and Central Pacific Fisheries 

Convention Implementation Act 

(16 U.S.C. 6901 et seq.) 

Whaling Convention Act of 1949 

(16 U.S.C. 916-9161) 
Reporting Violations

NOAA Fisheries’ Enforcement Hotline provides live operator coverage 24 

hours a day, 7 days a week for anyone in the United States to report a 

federal marine resource violation. During regular business hours, you may 

also contact the closest NOAA Office of Law Enforcement field office to 

report a possible violation. 

Examples of Violations

• Marine mammal harassment and takes.

• Exceed commercial possession, landing, or trip limit.

• Fishing in closed areas.

• Harvesting in closed season.

• Permit violations.

• Illegal activity within National Marine Sanctuaries.

• Observer program violations.

• Gear and equipment violations.

• Record-keeping and reporting violations.

• Recreational, charter, party boat violations.

• Dealer violations.

• Turtle excluder device violations.

• Sport fishing violations.

• Subsistence fishing violations.

• Illegal Imports.

• Seafood fraud or intentional mislabeling.

• Shark finning.

Rewards

Protecting our nation’s living marine resources is a team effort, and 

information from the public plays a vital role. OLE may, on a case-by-case 

basis, issue rewards to individuals who provide information that leads to 

an arrest, conviction, civil penalty assessment, or forfeiture of property 

for violation(s) of the laws and regulations NOAA enforces. In determining 

whether a reward is appropriate, OLE will evaluate whether the information 

provided was sufficiently substantial such that the unlawful activity 

would likely have continued undetected and/or a successful prosecution 

would not have been able to have been obtained without the information 

provided.

For more information, visit: www.fisheries.noaa.gov/enforcement

Call: (800) 853-1964

To report a violation in the 

regions, the main numbers are:

•	Alaska: (907) 586-7225

•	Northeast: (978) 281-9213

•	Pacific Islands: (808) 725-6100

•	Southeast: (727) 824-5344

•	West Coast: (206) 526-6133

Examples of information to 

include in your report are:

•	Location, time, and date of the 

activity.

•	Description of the activity.

•	Name(s) of the vessel, owner/

operator, captain, crew, or 

additional witnesses.

32 Office of Law Enforcement Annual Report FY17

Director, Office of Law Enforcement 

James Landon

Deputy Director

Logan Gregory 

Headquarters Leadership

Todd Dubois, Assistant Director, Investigative and International Operations

Milena Seelig, Chief, Operations, Management, and Information 

Casey Brennan, Chief of Staff

August 2018

www.fisheries.noaa.gov/enforcement

OFFICIAL BUSINESS

National Marine Fisheries Service

Office of Law Enforcement 

1315 East-West Highway

SSMC 3, Suite 3301

Silver Spring, MD 20910