New Jersey Captain and Seafood Buyer Found Guilty of a Multiyear Scallop Harvest Conspiracy

NOAA Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement uncovered a lucrative scheme devised by a New Jersey captain and seafood dealer to illegally harvest and sell excess scallops. The captain and dealer pleaded guilty; they were sentenced in federal court for conspiracy to commit offense or defraud the United States.

On August 4, 2025, the captain was sentenced to a $10,000 fine, 6-month home confinement, and 2-year term of probation. He has been prohibited from holding a NOAA Fisheries Operator Permit or commercial fishing permit and from completing any Fishing Vessel Trip Reports. On April 22, 2025, the dealer was sentenced to a $4,000 fine and a 2-year term of probation.

This case began in April 2021, when our officers boarded the defendant's vessel and located scallops concealed in a hidden compartment. Two NOAA Fisheries special agents and our enforcement officers conducted an investigation that lasted more than four years. New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection officers assisted us in the investigation.

Our team determined that the New Jersey-based commercial clam vessel fisherman sold thousands of pounds of illegal scallops to a local dealer. The dealer confessed to the violation during the investigation, as did the captain. Because of the high price of scallops, the defendants made substantial profits from the illicit operation.

Clam vessels are authorized to take a limited quantity of scallops as bycatch. This fisherman routinely exceeded these limits from October 2017 to April 2021. He sold thousands of pounds of surplus scallops to the dealer. The fisherman and dealer worked together to falsify the legally required fishing vessel trip and dealer reports to cover up the overfishing. The two reports are typically submitted independently by the fisherman and the dealer to NOAA Fisheries. Data from those reports serve as a cross-check to help ensure the reporting and the data are accurate and compliant.

Northeast Division acting Assistant Director James Cassin praised the outcome of the case: "Our industry members depend on us to help them compete fairly in a challenging environment. Thanks to the persistent efforts of our agents and officers, we stopped offenders from causing harm to our competitive markets and our law-abiding domestic commercial fishermen."

Criminal acts like these create an unfair competitive advantage. We work diligently to ensure all laws and regulations are followed and pursue legal action against those who violate them. We encourage anyone with knowledge of persons committing marine fishery crimes to call the NOAA Enforcement Hotline at (800) 853-1964. You can reach the Northeast Office of Law Enforcement at (978) 281-9213 (select "option 2" for regulatory compliance) or [email protected] .