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Feds plan to close Gloucester fish auction for 10 days

E-mail|Link|Comments () June 19, 2009 03:45 PM

(John Tlumacki/Globe Staff/file Feb. 2009)

A fish waiting for a buyer at the auction.

By Brian MacQuarrie, Globe Staff

GLOUCESTER -- Federal fisheries regulators announced today that they have planned a 10-day shutdown of the Gloucester Seafood Display Auction, the main clearinghouse for fish brought into this historic port.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said it had sent the auction a letter notifying it that it cannot buy, possess, or sell federally regulated fish for 10 consecutive days because of violations of buying illegal cod and falsifying records committed in 2000 and 2004.

The letter asks the auction to inform NOAA by June 24 if there is a legal reason why the shutdown shouldn't take place. If there is no reason, the letter said, the auction has between now and July 13 to begin its 10-day shutdown.

The agency said it was providing advance notice of the shutdown so fishermen could make alternate arrangements for selling their catches and allow the auction time to sell any catch in-house before the closure.

NOAA charged the auction with buying illegal cod on nine occasions and falsifying records to cover up the purchases in 2000. The 10-day sanction represents a punishment for both those offenses and for maintaining a false record in 2004, the agency said in a statement.

Auction co-owner Larry Ciulla said he had not received the letter so he couldn't comment.

"This is, like, what the heck are you guys talking about?" he said.

Fishing captain Paul Cohan reacted with dismay and disdain to the news. Cohan, 55, who's been fishing for 30 years, said of the fishing regulators "They basically have nothing but contempt for fishermen and it's shown in their heavy-handed enforcement policies."