Marine Fisheries Enforcement: Salty Tales of Fraud, Forensics, and Justice

NOAA Fisheries Office for Law Enforcement (OLE) is dedicated primarily to the enforcement of laws that protect and regulate our nation's living marine resources and their natural habitat.  NOAA Fisheries OLE focus on four approaches to enforcement: 1) civil and criminal investigation and patrols, 2) community oriented policing 3) Vessel Management System, and 4) partnering with government and non-government agencies.  Furthermore, NOAA enforcement activities are conducted under laws such as the Endangered Species Act (ESA), Lacey Act Amendment (seafood mislabeling), and International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).  The Northwest Fisheries Science Center Forensic Laboratory provides forensic science to support NOAA Fisheries OLE during various criminal and civil investigations. The majority of the analyses we provide involve molecular genetic approaches for species and taxonomic identification. We also provide morphologic identification and assist OLE in obtaining chemical and pathology analyses.  Here we present forensic case studies as examples of fisheries enforcement through stories of habitat loss, food mislabeling, and fish kills in the wild.