PORTLAND, Maine — Several New England commercial fishermen have been convicted in a fraud scheme targeting a critically important species of baitfish. Prosecutors say the fraud was complex and wide-ranging.
The fishermen were convicted of “deliberately undermining commercial fishing reporting requirements” in a plan regarding Atlantic herringprosecutors said in a statement. The suspects included owners, captains and crew members of the Western Sea, a vessel operating out of Maine.
Owner of the Western Sea Glenn Robbins pleaded guilty in March to providing false information to federal authorities regarding the catch and sale of Atlantic herring and failing to pay taxes, prosecutors said. Members of the vessel’s crew conspired to submit false voyage reports to federal authorities from 2016 to 2019, court records state. The charges are misdemeanors.
Robbins was sentenced Thursday to two years’ probation and a $9,500 fine. The false reports threatened to endanger a fish species vital as commercial lobster feed, federal prosecutor Darcie McElwee said.
“The defendants in this case have undermined regulations for the sole purpose of lining their own pockets – regulations that were put in place to ensure that Atlantic herring are not overfished and are available for future generations of fishermen and to protect the viability of the marine ecosystem,” McElwee said.
Reached by phone Monday, Robbins said that despite his plea, he believes himself not guilty and that he settled out of court due to the uncertainty of presenting the case to a jury.
“We took the settlement so that we wouldn’t become criminals,” Robbins said.
A federal judge last week also sentenced a part-time captain and three crew members to similar sentences. Those defendants all pleaded guilty in March.
Four other suspects were convicted earlier this year and received similar sentences. All of the suspects in the case are based in Maine or New Hampshire.
Federal rules require fishermen to submit trip reports detailing what species they caught, the weight of the catch and which dealers buy the fish.
Herring is an important part of the food chain, as it is eaten by marine mammals, larger fish and sea birds. Fisheries managers have concerns about sustainability of the Atlantic herring population in recent years.