COAST GUARD SEIZES 10,000-POUND CATCH,

May 22, 2004

COAST GUARD SEIZES 10,000-POUND CATCH,
TERMINATES VOYAGE OF SHRIMP BOAT

NEW ORLEANS – The Coast Guard terminated the voyage of a commercial fishing vessel this morning approximately five miles east of Chandelier Island, Miss., after it was discovered that it had several safety violations, and seized its catch of 10,000 pounds of shrimp due to a lack of federally required marine conservation measures.

The Coast Guard was notified by the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources (DMS) that the crew of the 79-foot shrimping vessel Mariachi, homeported in Brownsville, Texas, was being uncooperative in providing commercial fishing documentation during their boarding Thursday. A boarding team from Coast Guard Station Pascagoula, Miss., was dispatched to assist the DMS and boarded the boat Thursday at approximately 1 p.m.

After several unsuccessful attempts to retrieve the boat’s fishing nets, the crew of Coast Guard Cutter Seahawk, homeported in Carrabelle, Fla., was also sent to assist with the boarding and relieve the Station Pascagoula boarding team.

The Seahawk’s boarding team observed several safety violations including: more than 200 gallons of oil in the bilge; expired flares; unusable life jackets; and an improperly installed emergency position indicating radion beacon (EPIRB).

The Mariachi’s voyage was terminated for these safety violations and arrived under Coast Guard escort at Station Pascagoula today at approximately 7:30 a.m.

The Mariachi’s 10,000 pounds of shrimp were sold at a local fish house and the money turned over to the National Marine Fisheries Service because the nets used to catch the shrimp lacked federally-required marine conservation equipment such as Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) and Bycatch Reduction Devices (BRDs).

An investigation is currently being conducted by Eighth Coast Guard District office of Law Enforcement and Coast Guard Marine Safety Office Mobile, Ala.

The Coast Guard urges mariners to take advantage of free dockside safety inspections, given by Coast Guard examiners at various ports along the Gulf Coast throughout the season. For more information about these exams, please call the Coast Guard Boating Information Line at (800) 368-5647.

COAST GUARD SEIZES 10,000-POUND CATCH,
TERMINATES VOYAGE OF SHRIMP BOAT

The Mariachi’s voyage was terminated for these safety violations and arrived under Coast Guard escort at Station Pascagoula today at approximately 7:30 a.m.

An investigation is currently being conducted by Eighth Coast Guard District office of Law Enforcement and Coast Guard Marine Safety Office Mobile, Ala.

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