The Sun Journal Top Stories of 2022 #5: Federal agents raid New Bern fish market
The New Bern Sun Journal is taking a look back at the top stories of 2022.
In January, former public safety reporter Symone Graham covered breaking news regarding a local seafood market being shut down and raided by federal officers.
The incident happened on Jan. 26 as Graham and other media outlets converged onto B&J’s Seafood in New Bern. On the scene, several agents driving NOAA vehicles searched and investigated the business.
Graham’s coverage and follow up story combined for more than 60,000 online page views. Below is a recap of what happened and is #5 on the Sun Journal’s list for top stories in 2022.
How it happened
A seafood market in James City closed in January due to several federal officers searching the business.
The Sun Journal was unable to reach a representative of the company.
B&J Seafood market was raided by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries federal officers. Federal investigators were seen carrying several full trash bags and boxes labeled “fresh seafood” to their vehicles.
An unidentified officer on the scene referred any questions regarding the incident to the Department of Justice public affairs office. The Sun Journal reached out to the office for a comment but was unsuccessful.
Lauren Gaches, NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service media contact, said since the investigation is still ongoing, no further comments were made at that time.
Two NOAA Fisheries federal officer trucks blocked both of the entrances into the market’s parking lot. Multiple customers stopped by the business, but were told to leave by the agents because the business was closed.
The agents placed the unknown products in the boxes into their federal and unmarked vehicles. No employees were spotted at the establishment during the search.
Follow up
New Bern’s B&J Seafood market reopened shortly after federal agents raided the business and during the previously ongoing federal investigation into the establishment.
The seafood market was searched by National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration Fisheries federal officers on Jan. 26.
As to why NOAA law enforcement executed a search warrant for the business, the answer is still unknown.
The Sun Journal reached out to Lauren Gaches, NOAA Fisheries Director of Public Affairs, who said she is limited on the information she can provide.
The Sun Journal also attempted to reach a representative of B&J Seafood and the U.S. Department of Justice but was unsuccessful.
A member of the business made a Facebook post to the B&J Seafood Market page on Saturday which confirmed they are welcoming customers.
“We at B&J Seafood would like all of our customers to know that we are open for business and we appreciate all of your support come on in and shop with us!,” read the social media post.
Gaches did send information by email on the division’s law enforcement which included possible reasons the search was implemented.
One of NOAA’s missions is to not allow people to willfully violate fishery management regulations because it puts people who follow the rules at a significant disadvantage, according to the NOAA Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement.
The fishery division’s Office of Law Enforcement (OLE) conducts enforcement duties through patrols both on and off the water.
They also monitor vessels electronically, criminal and civil investigations, partnerships with state, tribal, federal, and non-governmental organizations, outreach and compliance assistance, and the use of innovative technological tools, according to NOAA Office of Law Enforcement.
Examples of violations include:
Feeding, injuring or killing dolphins, whales, seals, sea lions, or any other marine mammal.
Feeding, injuring, or killing sea turtles or harvesting sea turtle eggs.
Intentional mislabeling of seafood for profit.
Buying or selling fish without the proper permits.
NOAA law enforcement has a website dedicated to how the public can report a possible violation to their office.
Depending on the case, their law enforcement can issue rewards to individuals who provide information that leads to an arrest, conviction, civil penalty assessment, or forfeiture of property for violations of the laws and regulations NOAA enforces.
“OLE will evaluate whether the information provided was sufficiently substantial such that the unlawful activity would likely have continued undetected and/or a successful prosecution would not have been able to have been obtained without the information provided,” according to NOAA.
The Magnuson Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act is the primary law that governs marine fisheries management in U.S. federal waters.
The act was passed in 1976 and encourages the long-term biological and economic sustainability of marine fisheries.
The law’s goals include preventing overfishing, rebuilding overfished stocks, increasing long-term economic and social benefits, ensuring a safe and sustainable supply of seafood, protecting habitat that fish need to spawn, breed, feed, and grow to maturity.
This article originally appeared on Sun Journal: Sun Journal Top Stories of 2022 #5: Federal officers raid a New Bern seafood market
