codfather

NOAA regional administrator John Bullard tells WBSM News that shutting down Sector IX isn't about any kind of sanctions or punitive actions for Carlos Rafael's overfishing scheme, but rather for cleaning up the mess he left behind.

Representatives of the fishermen and others affected by NOAA's decision to halt commercial groundfishing in Sector IX due to the actions of "The Codfather" Carlos Rafael have crafted a letter explaining why they feel the decision was unjust.

New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell says as many as 80 fishermen could be affected by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's decision to withdraw the operations plan for Sector IX earlier this week and halt all groundfishing in that sector immediately.

The federal government says a group of commercial fishing operations dominated by a magnate known as "The Codfather" will be shut down for the rest of the season.

A Captain with the Bristol County Sheriff’s Office was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury in connection with helping Carlos Rafael, the owner of one of the largest commercial fishing businesses in the U.S., smuggle the profits of his illegal overfishing scheme to Portugal.

A Bristol County Sheriff’s Deputy was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for smuggling the profits of Carlos Rafael's over-fishing scheme to Portugal.

Judge William Young has ordered "Codfather" Carlos Rafael to forfeit four of his groundfishing vessels as well as 34 permits associated with those vessels.

Carlos Rafael was sentenced to 46 months in prison Monday afternoon by U.S. District Court Judge William Young, but no immediate decision was made regarding his groundfishing permits.

Carlos Rafael, New Bedford's most prominent fisherman, is scheduled to be sentenced this week in federal court in Boston.

Governor Charlie Baker has sided with a dozen state lawmakers and local officials who are urging the proceeds from the forfeiture of "Codfather" Carlos Rafael's fishing fleet, and any financial penalties tied to his case, be used to pay for electronic catch monitoring.