Saving Seafood

Massachusetts: Boats owned by jailed ‘Codfather’ sink in New Bedford

February 5, 2018 — NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — Two Carlos Rafael vessels will remain submerged under about 25 feet of water until at least Tuesday, the earliest a lifting machine can arrive, according to the New Bedford Fire Department.

The fishing vessels Dinah Jane and Nemesis sank early Monday morning. New Bedford police and fire responded to Homer’s Wharf at 1:24 a.m. after the vessels’ emergency position radio beacons transmitted a signal to the Coast Guard at about 1 a.m. No one was onboard the vessels.

The two vessels were tied to each other and one pulled down the other, according to Edward-Anthes Washburn, the executive director of the Harbor Development Commission.

The cause of the sinkings won’t be known until the fishing vessels are raised, Fire Chief Michael Gomes said.

After arriving, New Bedford Fire deployed about 400 feet of oil containment boom. At least one of the vessels did leak fuel oil, but Gomes said a diver plugged the vents, which leaked. The situation continues to be monitored.

According to the Coast Guard, the 65-foot Dinah Jane and 67-foot Nemesis contain a combined capacity of 9,500 gallons of fuel.

Carlos Seafood Inc. didn’t return requests for comment on Monday. Rafael, also known by some as “Codfather,” was sentenced last year to 46 months in prison for falsifying fishing quota, bulk cash smuggling and tax evasion.

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and the New Bedford Harbor Development Commission also arrived on scene Monday morning. The vessels were already submerged when all agencies reported.

Read the full story at the Cape Cod Times

 

Massachusetts: SouthCoast fishermen call NOAA’s civil action against Carlos Rafael ‘overkill’

January 12, 2018 — NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — Current and former area fishermen balked at NOAA’s reach in its civil action against Carlos Rafael.

“It’s total overkill,” said Stephen Lozinak, captain of fishing vessel Marsheen Venture and who has been fishing for more than five decades. “The whole thing is overkill. All it’s doing is hurting the workers in the city of New Bedford.”

On Wednesday, NOAA laid out its civil case against Rafael, including revoking 38 commercial fishing permits and the operator permits of two scallop vessel captains. Other aspects include a $983,528 penalty, denying any future application by Rafael for a permit issued by NOAA, and revoking the seafood dealer permit issued to Carlos Seafood Inc.

Most of the allegations surround Rafael’s criminal activity, which he pleaded guilty to in March. However, NOAA also included allegations surrounding mislabeling scallops harvested in 2013 and misreported yellowtail flounder in 2012.

“It seems to be a much more severe penalty than the crimes called for,” Executive Director of New Bedford Seafood Consulting Jim Kendall said.

The sentiments echoed those of Mayor Jon Mitchell.

Read the full story at the New Bedford Standard-Times