Department of Homeland Security
United States Coast Guard
- District 1

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 2, 2006

COAST GUARD CUTTER SEIZES $13,419 CATCH

SOUTH PORTLAND , Maine - Coast Guard Cutter Jefferson Island , home-ported in Portland , Maine , seized the catch of the fishing vessel Pilgrim, 15 miles northeast of Cape Cod , Mass. , Friday. 

Friday morning the Coast Guard determined that the Pilgrim had been operating within the Western Gulf of Maine Closed Area for more than 12 hours. The Jefferson Island , a 110-foot Coast Guard patrol boat, was diverted and detected the vessel two miles inside the closed area shortly before noon Friday.  The vessel was setting fixed gill net gear inside the closed area when Jefferson Island arrived.  The closed areas are vital to the preservation of New England commercial fisheries.     

Jefferson Island 's law enforcement team verified the vessel's catch, which included more than 20,000 pounds of pollock, and was then directed by NOAA Fisheries Enforcement to seize the catch and escort the vessel to Portland .  The vessel arrived in Portland Saturday morning and was met by a NOAA Fisheries Enforcement Agent.  The case is under investigation. 

The Pilgrim is home-ported in Fairhaven , Mass.