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The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office announced Monday that the local fishing boat captain has been fined for illegally dumping toxic waste in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Southern California.
Mchenry Fisheries, Inc., according to the release of the VCDA. William Porter Mchenry, who owns and operates, has allowed the waste to be dumped into the ocean, known as “stick water.” The ship, run by McHenry Fisheries, a 67-foot sea pearl, returned on December 6, 2024 after releasing stick water and was observed by authorities heading towards the sea.
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Ventura County officials explained that stick water was created during the squid fishing process, and squid was caught in a net and placed in a boat’s fish hold filled with salt water.
Sea pearls seen in photographs provided by the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office.
“As squid die, they release ink containing high levels of ammonia, making the water dark and toxic,” the Ventura County DA office said in the release. “This mixture is classified as a harmful substance.”
Once squid is transported on land, fishing companies are legally required to store the rod water and remaining wastewater on the ship’s hull. They must then properly dispose of at least three voyage miles offshore, as they could harm local marine life, officials said.
On the left is an empty fish hold, and on the right is a hold with a small amount of “stick water.” (Ventura Co. District Attorney’s Office)
But McHenry didn’t do that, according to Ventura County officials.
“A investigation by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife revealed that sea pearls offloaded £206,298 in Ventura Port before receiving stick water from an onshore tank run by Silver Bay Bay Seafood,” the VCDA release said. “It is said that CDFW officials will observe the ship passing the Ventura Harbor Breakwall and throw away the sticks before returning to the coast without reaching the Statewaters boundary.”
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When a CDFW guard boarded the ocean pearls and inspected the boat’s fish hold and commercial fishing license, it was found that three of the four fish were completely empty and only a small amount of rod water remained in the fourth hold.
When McHenry submitted the ship’s recent navigation track log, the watchman was able to confirm that Seapearl had not exceeded the 3-mile requirement.
General travel route for Sea Pearl on December 6th, 2024. The red line refers to the state’s water boundary. According to the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office, vessels must pass through the boundary to pass through the boundary. (VCDA)
As part of the settlement, MCHENRY will have to pay nearly $17,000, including $8,444.69 for environmental restoration, a fine of $6,555.31, a fine of $17,000, including the district attorney’s office and investigation costs, and $1,889.39 for unfair business practices.
The Environmental Restoration Fund will go to the Ventura County Fish and Wildlife Fund and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
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