Fishing Companies Fined $1.2 Million for Routine Illegal Oil Discharges in Alaskan Waters

Three Alaska-based commercial fishing companies and their manager have been fined over $1.18 million by a federal district court in Anchorage for multiple violations of the Clean Water Act, following a prolonged and illegal pattern of bilge oil dumping in coastal Alaskan waters.

The judgment was handed down against three affiliated entities—F/V Knot EZ LLC, Aleutian Tendering LLC, and Alaska Tendering Company LLC—after they failed to respond to a civil complaint filed by the U.S. Department of Justice on behalf of the U.S. Coast Guard in October 2024.

The environmental violations date back to July 2022, when the Coast Guard responded to a sinking incident involving the fishing tender vessel Knot EZ at anchor in Kodiak Harbour. During the emergency response, an oil spill was observed, triggering an investigation that uncovered a systematic discharge of oily bilge water directly into Alaskan coastal waters.

Federal investigators found that the companies had installed unauthorised piping aboard Knot EZ, enabling the vessel’s engine room waste—containing oil, fuel, lubricants, and water—to be pumped overboard daily or near daily. This activity was conducted to avoid halting operations for necessary repairs to the vessel’s deteriorating and leaking hull.

The Coast Guard deemed Knot EZ a significant hazard to marine safety and the environment and subsequently removed the vessel from service. The ship had been operating in the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea, supporting fish processing operations by transporting supplies to and hauling catch from fishing vessels to coastal plants.

In addition to the illegal discharges, the companies were cited for failing to provide adequate onboard storage for oily bilge waste and neglecting to install proper piping systems to transfer waste to shore-based disposal facilities. These actions violated longstanding federal spill prevention and pollution control regulations applicable to U.S.-flagged vessels.

The penalties were assessed under Section 311(b) of the Clean Water Act, which prohibits discharges of oil or hazardous substances into U.S. waters in quantities harmful to public health or the environment. Fines collected under these provisions are directed into the federal Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund, which finances federal spill responses and compensates damages resulting from oil pollution.

Authorities noted that efforts to resolve the case amicably had failed due to non-responsiveness from the defendants, prompting the Department of Justice to seek and obtain a default judgment. The court’s ruling marks a significant enforcement milestone in curbing illegal marine pollution practices within the fishing industry.

Reference: USCG

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