A US TRIAL FOR SANFORD FISHING – PAGO PAGO AMERICAN SAMOA

Chasing down Pacific tuna Fish News:

Criminal charges laid against Sanford fishing company reveal how lucrative chasing Pacific tuna can be.

Sanford is facing major conspiracy and oil pollution charges before Judge Beryl Howell in the US District Court in Washington DC today. Jury selection has been held.  In a statement Sanford managing director Eric Barratt said they will “vigorously defend” themselves from the seven charges in the indictment.

The charges follow an inspection of Sanford’s skipjack tuna boat San Nikunau in Pago Pago, American Samoa, in July 2011. US Coast Guard inspectors witnessed crew clearing a bilge by pumping directly overboard without using the oil water separator (OWS).

Investigations later revealed claims by crew witnesses that San Nikunau dumped oil waste at sea while fishing and tried to cover it up by altering records.

As part of a possible penalty if convicted, Sanford may lose proceeds from its entire catch in the period it allegedly faked its records. 

A grand jury indictment, now before the US District Court, said San Nikunau shipped fish to the Pago Pago canneries between March 2007 and July 2011 worth a total of $24.86 million.

The indictment reveals the value of each voyage and illustrates how lucrative skipjack, the most canned of tuna, is.

One voyage in July 2008 saw San Nikunau take $2.6 million in skipjack. The least lucrative voyage was in November 2009 with just $368,587.

The 21-year-old vessel is a purse seiner, catching tuna by circling whole schools with a single large net.

Sanford has engaged New York admiralty and maritime environmental criminal lawyers Chalos O’Connor and the Washington DC-based law firm of Blank Rome.

The trial is expected to run for two weeks. – News Report: Michael Field. Fairfax Media.

What do I think?

1. Who knew blue fin was that lucrative?

2. I think entire countries can be like the blue fin tuna populations. Nets are set within and surrounding the country’s borders. They are invisible economic nets that ensnare and restrict certain communities freedoms to grow, over others. In addition some communities in NZ for example, have had the same experiences happen to people. (Don’t get me started on that though!).

3. Burning the books is a very common trend in the GFC years. There’s a fine line between a Robin Hood and a thug.

4. Crimes to the enviroment – are like war crimes. War crimes are often crimes to the environment too. So, let’s see what the court decideds on that.

5. Obviously there is oil off the coast of Pago Pago if this story is in the US courts.

6. I think the above case study is a good one for fishing boats stockpiling blue fin tuna for Mitsubishi for example. Perhaps the principles learned in this case, can be applied wider to protect the blue fin tuna populations more.

7. I think people on Facebook are like blue fin tuna. One net, got them all. :)

(That was my ‘NZ’ IT billionaire shout out for the day. As in Papa Gogo say - regulate this industry more. The networks of people ensnaring some, also need to be reviewed for their manipulation of ‘blue fin tuna’ stock, environment factors of those stock, and species of stock’s well being etc.

If this case can give the world, those key principles – and we all learn, and change for the good happens, than all good. In regards to the fish: With fish, it all leads to better marine surveillance issues ahead for nations that have coastal areas to manage.).

On a banking level. The GFC years engineering via the World Bank, IMF, powers that be in wealthy nations, have led to economic engineering designed to make nations vulnerable to predatorial investors seeking to acquire the islands surrounding oil and fish stock, natural resources. What can we do to lift the net of fear, debt, the feeling of being stalked by invisible fiends – off our Polynesian peoples of the world?

News feed: TVNZ.

~Posted by Horiwoodblog, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 1.8.12~