NOAA Fisheries Enforcement

NOAA Halts Illegal Tuna Imports, Fines Importers $222,902

NOAA Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement completed two multi-year investigations resulting in $222,902 in combined civil penalties against seafood importers for falsely labeling tuna as 'dolphin safe.' The violations involved over 3.4 million pounds of tuna product imported from Mexico into U.S. commerce without proper dolphin-safe certification. Both importers cooperated with investigators, withdrew products from retail, donated inventory to nonprofits fighting food insecurity, and agreed to implement corrective labeling and sourcing practices for future shipments.

New Jersey Captain and Seafood Buyer Found Guilty of Multiyear Scallop Harvest Conspiracy

A New Jersey captain and seafood buyer were found guilty of conspiracy to defraud the United States through a multiyear illegal scallop harvesting scheme spanning October 2017 to April 2021. The captain was sentenced on August 4, 2025 to a $10,000 fine, 6-month home confinement, and 2-year term of probation, and is prohibited from holding a NOAA Fisheries Operator Permit or commercial fishing permit. The dealer was sentenced on April 22, 2025 to a $4,000 fine and 2-year term of probation. The investigation began when officers discovered scallops concealed in a hidden compartment during a boarding in April 2021.

NOAA Trains 37 Personnel in Africa Against IUU Fishing

NOAA Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement deployed instructors to Gaborone, Botswana in January 2026 for a Fisheries Enforcement and Prosecution course delivered through the International Law Enforcement Academy, training 37 fisheries law enforcement personnel, attorneys, and officials from Botswana, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Nigeria, Seychelles, and Mauritius. The curriculum covered container inspections, mock vessel boarding, IUU fishing legal frameworks, and building case packages to prosecute marine fisheries violations. As of January 2026, NOAA has trained more than 214 individuals from 19 countries through this program, with additional trainings planned for 2026 in Botswana and Thailand.