NOAA Attorney provides details about vessel operators making settlements following IFQ violations

On October 27 the Pilot reported that the owners, operator and individual Fishing Quota permit holder of the F/V Spicy Lady were charged with three counts under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and the Northern Pacific Halibut Act for retaining IFQ halibut on the vessel in Regulatory Area 3A in excess of the total amount of unharvested IFQ applicable to that regulatory area held by all IFQ permit holders aboard the vessel. They were also charged for retaining IFQ sablefish on the vessel in Regulatory Area West Yakutat in excess of the total amount of unharvested IFQ...