Federal Court Fines Alaska Fishing Companies $1.2 Million for Oil Discharges

A federal district court in Anchorage has imposed a civil penalty of over $1.18 million against Corey Potter and three Kodiak-based commercial fishing companies for multiple Clean Water Act violations. The case stems from a 2022 Coast Guard investigation which found that the fish tender vessel Knot EZ, operated by the defendants, was regularly discharging oily bilge waste into coastal waters of the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea to avoid suspending operations and repairing the vessel's heavily leaking hull. The Coast Guard responded to a distress call when the vessel was sinking at anchor in Kodiak Harbor and discovered an illegal discharge system used to pump oily waste overboard daily or near daily. The vessel was declared a substantial threat to marine safety and environmental health and was subsequently taken out of service. The defendants failed to negotiate a resolution, leading to default judgments being entered against them. Coast Guard officials emphasized the importance of proper vessel operation and maintenance to prevent pollution and protect marine environments.