Feds Begin Arrests for Shark Finning
On September 7, Cresento Bacaling and Conchito Cagas, Jr., plead guilty
to federal violations of the federal natural resource anti-trafficking
law, the Lacey Act and the Shark Finning Prohibition Act. This is the
first United States arrest, charge and conviction for federal criminal
violations of the Lacey Act with underlying violations of the Shark
Finning Prohibition Act since the shark finning ban was implemented in
2002.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office for Law
Enforcement Special Agent Al Samuels worked with Assistant U.S. Attorney
Karon Johnson and the U.S. District Court in Guam to obtain federal
arrest warrants for the two men arrested on July 16, 2004. NOAA is an
agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce.
The Shark Finning Prohibition Act makes it illegal for a foreign vessel
to offload any shark fins into a U.S. port, unless they offload the rest
of the shark carcass with the fins. This rule is aimed at drastically
reducing the number of sharks finned and carcasses discarded at sea. The
Lacey Act makes it illegal to traffic in illegal natural resources. In
this case, transporting or exporting fins were off loaded illegally in
the U.S.
Cresento Bacaling and Conchito Cagas, Jr., crew members of a
Japanese-flagged fishing vessel, illegally offloaded approximately 520
pieces of shark fins from their fishing vessel while in Apra Harbor,
Guam on July 13, 2004. With their guilty pleas, Bacaling and Cagas
admitted that they attempted to smuggle the shark fins out of the port
in Guam in an attempt to transport the shark fins to the Philippines
where they would be sold. The Port Authority of Guam Police Department
discovered the shark fins inside a pickup truck and refused clearance
for the driver to leave the port. In some markets shark fins are
considered a delicacy and are sold for high prices to restaurants.
Judith L. Fogarty, Special Agent in Charge, Pacific Islands Division
said, “These arrests and convictions were the result of a significant
investigation conducted by the NOAA Fisheries – Office for Law
Enforcement, Office of the U.S. Attorney, Guam Customs and Quarantine
Agency – Maritime Interdiction Task Force and Port Authority of Guam
Police. The investigation of Shark Finning Prohibition Act violations is
a priority and will continue to be so for NOAA Fisheries Office for Law
Enforcement.”
Considered flight risks by U.S. District Court, Bacaling and Cagas have
been in federal custody since their arrests on July 16, 2004. A
sentencing hearing has been set for December 8, 2004.
NOAA Fisheries is dedicated to protecting and preserving our nation’s
living marine resources through scientific research, management,
enforcement and the conservation of marine mammals and other protected
marine species and their habitat.
NOAA is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety
through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related
events and providing environmental stewardship of our nation’s coastal
and marine resources.
Feds Begin Arrests for Shark Finning
On September 7, Cresento Bacaling and Conchito Cagas, Jr., plead guilty
to federal violations of the federal natural resource anti-trafficking
law, the Lacey Act and the Shark Finning Prohibition Act. This is the
first United States arrest, charge and conviction for federal criminal
violations of the Lacey Act with underlying violations of the Shark
Finning Prohibition Act since the shark finning ban was implemented in
2002.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office for Law
Enforcement Special Agent Al Samuels worked with Assistant U.S. Attorney
Karon Johnson and the U.S. District Court in Guam to obtain federal
arrest warrants for the two men arrested on July 16, 2004. NOAA is an
agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce.
The Shark Finning Prohibition Act makes it illegal for a foreign vessel
to offload any shark fins into a U.S. port, unless they offload the rest
of the shark carcass with the fins. This rule is aimed at drastically
reducing the number of sharks finned and carcasses discarded at sea. The
Lacey Act makes it illegal to traffic in illegal natural resources. In
this case, transporting or exporting fins were off loaded illegally in
the U.S.
Cresento Bacaling and Conchito Cagas, Jr., crew members of a
Japanese-flagged fishing vessel, illegally offloaded approximately 520
pieces of shark fins from their fishing vessel while in Apra Harbor,
Guam on July 13, 2004. With their guilty pleas, Bacaling and Cagas
admitted that they attempted to smuggle the shark fins out of the port
in Guam in an attempt to transport the shark fins to the Philippines
where they would be sold. The Port Authority of Guam Police Department
discovered the shark fins inside a pickup truck and refused clearance
for the driver to leave the port. In some markets shark fins are
considered a delicacy and are sold for high prices to restaurants.
Judith L. Fogarty, Special Agent in Charge, Pacific Islands Division
said, “These arrests and convictions were the result of a significant
investigation conducted by the NOAA Fisheries – Office for Law
Enforcement, Office of the U.S. Attorney, Guam Customs and Quarantine
Agency – Maritime Interdiction Task Force and Port Authority of Guam
Police. The investigation of Shark Finning Prohibition Act violations is
a priority and will continue to be so for NOAA Fisheries Office for Law
Enforcement.”
Considered flight risks by U.S. District Court, Bacaling and Cagas have
been in federal custody since their arrests on July 16, 2004. A
sentencing hearing has been set for December 8, 2004.
NOAA Fisheries is dedicated to protecting and preserving our nation’s
living marine resources through scientific research, management,
enforcement and the conservation of marine mammals and other protected
marine species and their habitat.
NOAA is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety
through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related
events and providing environmental stewardship of our nation’s coastal
and marine resources.