Supreme Court Overturns Fisherman's Conviction for Tossing Undersize Grouper
The Supreme Court sided with Florida fishermen John L. Yates in a narrow vote that appealed his conviction of tossing evidence—undersized grouper—overboard. Prosecutors used a financial fraud law originally created during the Enron scandal to accuse Yates of destroying evidence. The prosecution argued he threw a number of undersized grouper--found during a state search--off of his boat. However, five Justices sided with Yates’ defense in that the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 was not intended to encompass fish as a “tangible object” of evidence. In dissenting opinions Justices argued that the real issue is that the law is too broad and carries unreasonably high maximum penalties.
In today’s Editor View column John Sackton discusses how lower-cost seafood and the return of customer traffic and spending has positioned 2015 to be a healthy year for seafood sales across the restaurant sector. Still, the movement towards higher wages for workers and the possible merger between Sysco and US Foods could raise costs down the road writes Sackton.
Meanwhile, Newfoundland’s Fishery Minister Vaughn Granter said a report about the province’s Last-In First-Out shrimp policy will provide federal regulators with enough evidence to overturn the program. Among the issues, Granter said heavy investment by harvesters based on permanent license issued in 2007 will force the government to reconsider its position.
In other news TUF spent over $100 million to acquire both Meralliance and King Oscar last fall. TUF closed the deals for the French smoker and Norwegian canner back in November but just released the details of the transactions. TUF expects its sales to reach $5 billion this year.
Finally, a correction. In our article on Kenny Down from Blue North being appointed to the N. Pacific Fishery Management Council, we said he was the first longliner representing Washington. Actually that is not true - he is the third. Harold Lokken and Bob Alverson both served on the council and were longliners as well. Sorry for the mixup.
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