|
Two men sentenced for violating
environmental law
(U.S. Dept. of Justice news release -
www.usdoj.gov)
April 24, 2007
Contact: U.S. Dept. of Justice (202) 514‑2007
WASHINGTON - A former boat builder Michael Bonner
of Wetumpka, Ala. and a commercial fisherman, Gerald E. Andrews
Jr. of Pensacola, Fla., were each sentenced today to three years
of probation and fines of $25,000 and $40,000, respectively, the
Justice Department announced.
Both Bonner and Andrews pleaded guilty to one
misdemeanor count of making false documents and writings in an
attempt to violate a moratorium on charter vessel permits under
the Magnuson Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act
(Magnuson Act) regulations.
In November 2003, the Magnuson Act placed a
moratorium on charter vessel/headboat permits for Gulf coastal
migratory ocean going fish and Gulf reef fish in an effort to
address concerns regarding over fishing and declining fish
stocks. The regulation requires that only individuals who could
provide the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) with
documentation verifying that, prior to March 29, 2001, a charter
vessel or headboat was under construction and that at least
$5,000 had been spent towards construction as of that date, are
eligible for the permit.
According to the information filed on Feb. 6,
2007, Michael Bonner and Gerald Andrews agreed in two separate
contracts that Bonner would build Andrews two 65 foot commercial
fishing vessels. The defendants are alleged to have submitted to
the NMFS sales agreements signed and dated March 2, 2001 for
both boats when in fact the agreements were actually signed on
or about May 1, 2003 in an attempt to secure charter fishing
permits prior to the moratorium's going into effect in September
2003.
The moratorium created a demand for the permits
since they were not available to all charter boat owners. Anyone
who could not meet the March 2001 deadline would have to
purchase a permit valued up to approximately $50,000 from
another boat owner.
This case was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Mary
Dee Carraway of the Justice Department's Environmental Crimes
Section and was investigated by special agent Allan Coker of
the National Marine Fisheries Service.
|
