Coast Guard halts voyage for illegal fishing off Key West

KEY WEST, Fla. (WSAV) The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said a Coast Guard Station Key West law enforcement boat crew boarded a commercial fishing vessel Thursday for a routine commercial fishing vessel safety inspection and discovered the crew was fishing with an expired permit.

Working with National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), the Coast Guard terminated the vessel’s voyage due to their possession of 45,000 pounds of pink shrimp on board without a valid commercial fishing permit, the DHS said.

The law enforcement crew boarded the vessel approximately 12 miles off the Marquesas Keys, and now, it is returning to its homeport in Alabama, where NMFS officers will meet with captain for further questioning.

The name of the vessel is being withheld due to the open investigation.

The U.S. fisheries industry supports over $240 billion in economic activity annually, and nearly 20% of species are considered overfished.

In 2022, landings of pink shrimp totaled 14.5 million pounds and were valued at $37 million, according to NOAA Fisheries.

The Coast Guard enforces commercial fishing vessel safety regulations that protect fishermen and environmental laws that protect both commercial and endangered species.