SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. (KEYT) – Local prosecutors reached a settlement with the owners of a squid fishing vessel that ran aground off Santa Cruz Island in December of 2022, spilling over a thousand gallons of diesel fuel and hydraulic fluid into the open ocean.
Ocean Angel VI, the owner of the involved commercial squid vessel the Speranza Marie, paid $100,000 to resolve alleged violations of the Government Code, the Fish and Game Code, and spill-related violations of the Health and Safety Code stated the Santa Barbara County District Attorney's Office in a press release Monday.
Of that penalty, $20,000 is dedicated to funding future oil responses as well as supplemental environmental projects for rehabilitating injured marine wildlife noted prosecutors.
According to the Santa Barbara County District Attorney's Office, an investigation revealed that the captain of the Speranza Marie was asleep while operating the vessel when it hit the shoreline at Chinese Harbor on Santa Cruz Island, a habitat protected by federal law.
The crew and captain were rescued from the grounded vessel by a passing fishing vessel the day of the collision.
Further investigation showed that the skipper embarked on the commercial fishing trip just hours after returning from another commercial fishing trip and that the captain had slept for around three total hours over the two-day period before the incident detailed the Santa Barbara County District Attorney's Office.
A sheen connected to the damaged vessel stretched for about a mile and several hundred birds in the area were spotted covered in oil added the local prosecutor's office.
Due to the Speranza Marie's location and local stormy seas, it broke free a second time and could not be recovered until the following month.
The Speranza Marie after it broke free from its anchorage a second time in late December of 2022. Image courtesy of the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.The vessel's owners assisted in the multi-agency cleanup efforts and cooperated with the investigation shared the Santa Barbara County District Attorney's Office.
"This case is yet another reminder of what can happen when individuals operate motorized vehicles both on land and at sea—without proper sleep," said District Attorney Savrnoch. "We are grateful that no persons were injured as a result of this incident, but the environmental harm was substantial and could have easily been avoided. Hopefully this incident serves as a reminder to those who operate commercial fishing vessels of how important it is to implement appropriate sleep and rest policies."
Squid Vessel Owners Agree to $100,000 Settlement After Sleeping Skipper Ran Aground at Santa Cruz Island in 2022 News Channel 3-12.
Hence then, the article about squid vessel owners agree to 100 000 settlement after sleeping skipper ran aground at santa cruz island in 2022 was published today ( ) and is available on News channel ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Squid Vessel Owners Agree to $100,000 Settlement After Sleeping Skipper Ran Aground at Santa Cruz Island in 2022 )
Also on site :
- The Russia-Africa summit 2026: What you need to know about building a multipolar world without the West
- How they fumbled the cola wars: Pepsi generates twice the revenue of Coca-Cola, yet its market cap is only half as big
- ‘Escape to Witch Mountain’ Co-Stars Kim Richards and Ike Eisenmann Have Rare Reunion 50 Years After Classic Disney Film