Decision  In the Matter of Timothy Powers and Coastal Commercial Lobster Permit No. 4814 with All Regulated Fishery Permit Endorsements

Date:	05/12/2011
Organization:	Division of Marine Fisheries
Docket Number:	CLP-4814-10-PD

• Claimant: Sgt. Phil Desroches
• Respondent: Timothy Powers
• Presiding Officer: David C. Hoover

Matter involved violations of protected species regulations to protect endangered right whales, lobster conservation and management regulations, and reporting and permitting requirements. This included: (1) abandoning lobster trap gear in the waters under the jurisdiction of the Commonwealth; (2) surface marking requirements for lobster trap gear in the Right Whale Critical Habitat Area; (3) buoy line marking requirements; (4) failure to affix a valid annual trap tag to lobster trap gear; (5) filing false or incomplete catch reports; and (6) falsifying a permit renewal application. The Final Agency Action in this matter resulted in the permanent revocation of Powers' Commercial Coastal Lobster Permit and all appurtenant regulated fishery permit endorsements. 

Key Terms: Protected species; Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan; Right Whale Critical Habitat Area; abandoned gear; buoy line marking; lobster buoy marking; trawl configuration; trap tags; non-cooperation with Law Enforcement; catch reports.