The crew of the Coast Guard cutter Munro, in participation with the Fisheries Law Enforcement Command of the People’s Republic of China, boarded an illegal High Seas Drift Net fishing vessel, the Lu Rong Yu 2879 Tuesday, September 9, 2008.

Working closely with the embarked FLEC representatives, Captain Craig Lloyd, Commanding Office of the USCGC Munro, was able to obtain permission from FLEC Headquarters in Beijing, to send a Munro boarding team to assist the embarked FLEC representatives in conducting a comprehensive visit.

During the visit, one of the embarked FLEC officers interviewed the Master of the Chinese fishing vessel and inspected the ship’s documentation. The Munro boarding team also conducted a thorough search of the fishing vessel’s decks, finding an excessive amount of drift nets and other gear used in the operation of illegal drift net fishing.

After relaying this information to FLEC Headquarters, and Coast Guard District-17 Headquarters, the crew of the Munro was granted permission to assist the embarked FLEC representatives in seizing control of the fishing vessel, its crew and its 45 ton catch of squid and skip jack tuna. The crew of the Munro then escorted the seized fishing vessel to rendezvous with a FLEC surface asset in order transfer custody of the vessel to FLEC authorities.

“I think the boarding went very smoothly, largely due to the effective strategy we had in place prior to conducting the boarding,” said Motoi.

“This was a classic example of an HSDN fishing vessel and it had everything we had been taught to look for in fish school before getting underway,” she said.

“I am very pleased with the positive impact on the maritime environment and I look forward to quickly seeing the resolution of this case and returning to the patrol area to detect other vessels of this type,” said Lloyd.

During the boarding, many of the Munro’s crew members provided logistical support to the boarding team members including Petty Officer Third Class Christine Adamek and Chief Warrant Officer Quass.

Adamek worked through the night ensuring that hot meals were provided to tthe boarding team members during the 16-hour boarding.

“I was told by my Senior Chief that it as going to be a long night,” said Adamek.

“I chose a menu based on the cold weather and made a hot meal of chili and rice that would be easy to transport and easy for the boarding team to eat,” she said.

Quass provided support as a coxswain, ferrying relief boarding team members on one of the Munro’s small boats, over to the Chinese fishing vessel at four in the morning.

The transfer of custody took place several days after the seizure, aboard the FLEC vessel.

Lieutenant Brad Anderson, the Munro’s Operations Officer, and Lieutenant Cao, the embarked Coast Guard translator, accompanied the two embarked FLEC representatives aboard the FLEC vessel to transfer custody of the Lu Rong Yu 2879 over to the FLEC authorities.

The embarked FLEC representatives gave a full report of the events that transpired during the comprehensive visit and handed over a copy of their written report to the Captain of the FLEC vessel. Anderson provided a copy of the case package and evidence put together by the crew of the Munro.

After the transfer of custody was completed the Captain of the FLEC vessel invited Capt. Lloyd, LT Anderson, Ensign Victoria Lusarde and Ensign Rodney Brown aboard for a tour of the FLEC vessel and a lunch consisting of traditional Chinese cuisine.

After the visit, Capt. Lloyd invited the crew of the FLEC vessel aboard the Munro for a tour of the Coast Guard ship.

This was the first major bust for the crew of the Munro during its North Pacific Engagement and Enforcement Patrol, but hopefully not the last. The crew of the Munro will remain vigilant in its search for illegal fishing vessels during the next several months of the NPEEP.

Despite the long hours and several days of transiting to the rendezvous point, the crew of the Munro remained steadfast and held true to the Coast Guard’s core values of Honor, Respect and Devotion to Duty.

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