DATE: Sunday, September 14, 1997            TAG: 9709140208

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C10  EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY BOB HUTCHINSON, OUTDOORS EDITOR 

                                            LENGTH:   33 lines

BLUEFIN TUNA VIOLATIONS BRING $380,000 IN CIVIL PENALTIES

Civil penalties totaling $380,000 have been assessed against a commercial bluefin tuna fishing operation owned by a Virginia man following a 10-month federal investigation.

The heaviest penalties, $140,000 each, were levied against boat owner John H. Lewis Jr. of Reedville in Virginia's Northern Neck and James Gallagher of Sebastian, Fla. Lewis owns the commercial fishing vessel Gannet, which Gallagher skippers.

Fleet Marine Inc., a fish dealer in Port Canaveral, Fla., was assessed an $80,000 penalty for its involvement. Dwight D. Bates, the firm's president, was assessed another $10,000 for obstructing the federal investigation. And Ralboray Inc., of New Orleans was assessed $10,000 for purchasing tuna it ``knew or should have known'' was illegally landed, according to Chris Smith of the National Marine Fisheries Service.

The charges included landing bluefin in excess of federal limits, filleting tuna, selling those tuna, failing to submit records, fishing without a federal permit and obstructing an investigation.

The violators also had their federal permits suspended for between 30 and 45 days. They have 30 days to either pay the penalties, seek to have the assessments changed or request a hearing before an administrative law judge to deny or contest the violations and penalties.

Bluefin tuna have been officially declared overexploited by the federal government and are managed under strict quotas and size limits.

Smith said some of the illegal tuna was landed in Wanchese, N.C., and some in Port Canaveral, Fla.

Send Suggestions or Comments to webmaster@scholar.lib.vt.edu