(ProsperNews.net) – A New York fisherman was convicted in a federal court of selling fish beyond the legal quotas. Christopher Winkler from Montauk was found guilty of criminal conspiracy, mail fraud, and obstruction of justice for falsifying business records to cover up illegal sales of fluke and black sea bass totaling around $900,000 between 2014 and 2017. He sold 200,000 pounds of fish, above legal quotas, to Montauk and Bronx markets.
Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim said, “Fluke and black sea bass play a vital part in our marine ecosystem, and quotas are designed to prevent overfishing and stabilize populations.” Winkler’s defense attorneys argued that the quotas are irrational, adding that Long Island fishermen are easy targets for “regulatory insanity.”
Mr. Winkler, who runs a trawler called the New Age, was alleged to have made deals with a significant fish supplier in the region, Gosman’s. He was arrested two years ago with Bryan and Asa Gosman, who made deals with prosecutors to avoid charges. Winkler is one of many to face criminal charges initiated by the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. Some defendants were released, while others received prison time.
The regulations on fishing are intended to protect fish species from extinction, as many are killed faster than they can replace themselves. Mr. Winkler said the rules often cause fishermen to discard edible fish that will not survive, meaning “it’s a waste of good edible fish,” according to attorney Peter Smith.
In 2019, New York’s Governor Andrew Cuomo and Attorney General Letitia James filed a lawsuit against the federal government, saying the quotas were unfair and unworkable. “New York’s commercial fishing industry is a critical economic driver that for decades has been held back by outdated federal restrictions,” Governor Cuomo said. Similarly, a legal battle is ongoing between the federal government and Alaska, which wants to regulate its own fishing industry and says the feds don’t have the expertise to legislate for the entire country.
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