Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnnyD
Correct me if I'm wrong, but while the dollar amount may seem to be extreme (impossible to know as they only list the dollar amount and not the violation), there still must have been grounds for them to be fined else the article would be fill with cases of where people faced unjust fines that were thrown out during appeal.
While a $270,000 fine seems extremely high, the article gives no way to know if it was issued due to a somewhat innocent paperwork issue or a habitual offender of poaching.
To use a motor vehicle analogy: even though a speeding fine might be $400 and a judge decreases the fine to $100, it does not make the initial fine unreasonable nor does it make the driver any less guilty of the offense.
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I can't evaluate the fines either. However, the point is that NE fishermen have long complained that NOAA's enforcement and fines have been more heavy handed in the NE than in other areas. The problem is that fishermen often lack reasonable recourse (short of suing NOAA -- which is very expensive). I think what everyone is looking for is a more just process. It appears that the IG's slap on the wrist to NOAA is an indication that NOAA has to be more reasonable, more fair, and more even-handed across all jurisdictions.