NOAA’s Ark

By now you have probably read the many stories about the battle between local fishermen with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) over unjust fishing regulations and unreasonable fines. Now comes word from Seattle that NOAA officials have used some of that revenue from fines to buy themselves a luxury pleasure craft for use by agents and their families and friends.

Using money from fines paid by fishermen, the NOAA law enforcement office in Seattle evaded procurement procedures to acquire a luxury undercover cabin boat that was used, misused and abused as a pleasure craft by unidentified personnel — including at least one agent, his wife and friends — according to a report from the U.S. Commerce Department's inspector general.

The report was obtained under the U.S. Freedom of Information Act by Massachusetts lawmakers U.S. Sen. Scott Brown and Congressman John Tierney of Salem.

The IG's report found that more than $300,000 was taken from the Asset Forfeiture Fund — built upon fines paid by fishermen for violations of the Manguson-Stevens, Endangered Species and Marine Mammal Protection acts — to pay for the 35-foot Boston Whaler in 2008, while another $9,400 was charged to the forfeiture fund for moorage, fuel and maintenance.

The report states that an individual or individuals "violated agency policy and ethical standards" by using the boat for partying and pleasure cruises around Puget Sound. The case was instigated by a whistleblower, the inspector general's report states.

The IG's report also details countless violations of procurement procedures as well as "dishonest conduct prejudicial to the government, conduct demonstrating untrustworthiness or unreliability."

Tierney expressed outrage at the report's findings.

"Not only should this luxury vessel never have been purchased by NOAA," Tierney said, "but today we learn that it was used for joyrides during the workweek, and employees were inappropriately reimbursed for fuel and other costs from the Asset Forfeiture Fund — essentially right from the pockets of our fishermen."

"What makes this particularly relevant is that the recent IG report detailed that NOAA still lacks appropriate controls over the Asset Forfeiture Fund," Tierney added. "So taxpayers are left to wonder if this kind of abuse and misuse of funds is still occurring. I again call for an immediate freeze on all expenditures from the AFF," Tierney added.