USCG LMR Enforcement Report JAN-APR FY2012

Recent Operations : • The SE Regional Fishery Training Center completed 2 trainings at Sector

San Juan. 30 Coast Guard law enforcement members attended, and the class included presentations from Marcos Hanke, Graciela Garcia, and Special Agent Lynn Rios.

On 25FEB-26FEB, Sector San Juan conducted an operation targeting the Red Hind Spawning Aggregation west of PR. For this operation, Sector San Juan deployed a 33’ Law Enforcement boat and two support flights. The boarding team conducted boardings on 04 vessels (03 commercial F/Vs and 01 charter boat). During a boarding of a commercial f/v, the boarding team discovered 12 undersized spiny lobster in a mesh bag hidden under several pfds. The boarding officer issued a fishing violation to the master, and the master voluntarily abandoned the undersized lobsters.

On 08APR, Sector San Juan employed 2 flights and a 25’ Law Enforcement boat to monitor the Mutton Snapper Aggregation area south of St. Croix. No vessels were identified fishing in the closed area.

USCG FY12 LMR OPERATION SUMMARY

Actual Goal

2 2 Red Hind Spawning Area operations (Dec - Mar)

 0 2 Red Hind Marine Conservation District operations (Year Round)

 1 1 Mutton Snapper Spawning Area operation (Mar – Jun)

 3 2

Joint Enforcement Agency (JEA) operations targeting commercial and recreational fishing vessels. (Year Round)

 0 1

Queen Conch operation, targeting vessels illegally harvesting during the closed season in Lang Bank

 1 1

Additional queen conch operation, targeting undersized Queen Conch and bag/trip limits (Nov – May)

2 1

Reef Fish operation, targeting compliance with permits, size and bag/trip limits.

 0 1

Highly Migratory Species (HMS) operation, targeting vessels fishing prior to season openings, shark finning prohibitions, VMS/Permit requirements and retention of prohibited species.

37 100 Total number of LMR boardings