WASHINGTON — January 10, 2018 – Today, NOAA issued a charging document to Carlos Rafael, Carlos Seafood, Inc., 28 separate business entities related to Carlos Rafael, and two of Carlos Rafael’s scallop vessel captains, alleging violations of the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
This case seeks to:
- Impose $983,528 in civil monetary penalties;
- Deny any future application by Carlos Rafael for any permit issued by NOAA under the Magnuson-Stevens Act;
- Revoke the seafood dealer permit issued to Carlos Seafood, Inc.;
- Revoke 38 commercial fishing permits; and
- Revoke the operator permits issued to two of Rafael’s scallop vessel captains.
The civil action alleges 35 violations:
Counts 1-19 are based on Rafael’s conduct involved in his recent criminal case, specifically, the misreporting of species landed. For these violations, NOAA seeks to revoke the federal fisheries permits associated with the vessels at issue in the criminal case, but does not seek monetary penalties.
Counts 20-35 involve conduct unrelated to Rafael’s criminal case. Count 20 alleges that Rafael and related entities misreported where they caught yellowtail flounder in 2012. For this violation, NOAA seeks to revoke numerous permits involved and a $140,000 penalty.
Counts 21-35 involve misreporting in the scallop fishery. NOAA alleges that on four separate fishing trips in 2013, Rafael and related entities, along with two of his fishing vessel operators, filed false reports regarding the amount of scallops harvested by four vessels. For those violations, NOAA seeks to revoke permits issued to these vessels and a $843,528 penalty.
Read more about NOAA’s action at the New Bedford Standard-Times