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New England fishermen sentenced in complex herring fraud case

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New England fishermen sentenced in complex herring fraud case
News

News

New England fishermen sentenced in complex herring fraud case

2024-07-16 09:58 Last Updated At:10:01

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Several commercial fishermen in New England have been sentenced in a fraud scheme that centered on a critically important species of bait fish and that prosecutors described as complex and wide-ranging.

The fishermen were sentenced for “knowingly subverting commercial fishing reporting requirements” in a scheme involving Atlantic herring, prosecutors said in a statement. The defendants included owners, captains and crew members of the Western Sea, a ship that operates out of Maine.

Western Sea owner Glenn Robbins pleaded guilty in March to submitting false information to the federal government regarding the catch and sale of Atlantic herring and a failure to pay taxes, prosecutors said. Members of the ship's crew conspired to submit false trip reports to the federal government from 2016 to 2019, court records state. The charges are misdemeanors.

Robbins was sentenced Thursday to two years of probation and a $25,000 fine, and Western Sea was fined $175,000. The false reports threatened to jeopardize a fish species that is vitally important as commercial lobster bait, said federal prosecutor Darcie McElwee.

"The defendants in this case subverted regulations for the sole purpose of lining their own wallets — regulations that are in place to ensure Atlantic herring are not overfished and are available for future generations of fishermen and safeguard the viability of the marine ecosystem,” McElwee said.

Reached by phone on Monday, Robbins said that despite his plea, he doesn't consider himself to be guilty and that he took a plea deal because of the uncertainty of taking the case to a jury.

“We took the plea deal just so we wouldn't be felons,” Robbins said.

A federal judge also sentenced a part-time captain and three crew members to similar sentences last week. Those defendants all pleaded guilty in March.

Four other defendants were sentenced earlier in the year and received similar sentences. All of the defendants in the case are based out of Maine or New Hampshire.

Federal rules require fishermen to submit trip reports about the species they caught, the weight of a catch and the dealers who buy the fish.

Herring is an important part of the food chain, as it is eaten by marine mammals, larger fish and seabirds. Fishing managers have raised concerns about the sustainability of the Atlantic herring population in recent years.

This story has been corrected with the accurate fines for Glenn Robbins and his company.

FILE — Glenn Robbins discusses the herring fishery aboard his fishing boat, the Western Sea, Wednesday, July 8, 2015, in Rockland, Maine. Robbins pleaded guilty in March of 2024 to submitting false information to the federal government regarding catch and sale of Atlantic herring and failure to pay taxes, prosecutors said. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File)

FILE — Glenn Robbins discusses the herring fishery aboard his fishing boat, the Western Sea, Wednesday, July 8, 2015, in Rockland, Maine. Robbins pleaded guilty in March of 2024 to submitting false information to the federal government regarding catch and sale of Atlantic herring and failure to pay taxes, prosecutors said. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File)

FILE - Herring are unloaded from a fishing boat, Wednesday, July 8, 2015, in Rockland, Maine. Several commercial fishermen in New England have been sentenced in a fish fraud scheme described by prosecutors as complex and wide-ranging that centered on a critically important species of bait fish. The fishermen were sentenced last week for "knowingly subverting commercial fishing reporting requirements" in a scheme involving Atlantic herring, prosecutors said. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File)

FILE - Herring are unloaded from a fishing boat, Wednesday, July 8, 2015, in Rockland, Maine. Several commercial fishermen in New England have been sentenced in a fish fraud scheme described by prosecutors as complex and wide-ranging that centered on a critically important species of bait fish. The fishermen were sentenced last week for "knowingly subverting commercial fishing reporting requirements" in a scheme involving Atlantic herring, prosecutors said. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File)

FILE - Herring are unloaded from a fishing boat in Rockland, Maine, July 8, 2015. Several commercial fishermen in New England have been sentenced in a fish fraud scheme described by prosecutors as complex and wide-ranging that centered on a critically important species of bait fish. The fishermen were sentenced last week for "knowingly subverting commercial fishing reporting requirements" in a scheme involving Atlantic herring, prosecutors said. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File)

FILE - Herring are unloaded from a fishing boat in Rockland, Maine, July 8, 2015. Several commercial fishermen in New England have been sentenced in a fish fraud scheme described by prosecutors as complex and wide-ranging that centered on a critically important species of bait fish. The fishermen were sentenced last week for "knowingly subverting commercial fishing reporting requirements" in a scheme involving Atlantic herring, prosecutors said. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File)

SYDNEY (AP) — The rare unfurling of an endangered plant that emits the smell of decaying flesh drew hundreds of devoted fans to a greenhouse in Sydney on Thursday where they lined up to experience a momentous bloom -– and a fragrance evoking gym socks and rotting garbage.

Tall, pointed and smelly, the corpse flower is scientifically known as amorphophallus titanum — or bunga bangkai in Indonesia, where the plants are found in the Sumatran rainforest.

But to fans of this specimen, she’s Putricia -- a portmanteau of “putrid” and “Patricia” eagerly adopted by her followers who, naturally, call themselves Putricians. For a week, she has graced a stately and gothic display in front of a purple curtain and wreathed in mist from a humidifier at the Royal Sydney Botanic Garden.

Her rise to fame since has been rapid, with more than 13,000 admirers filing past for a moment in her increasingly pungent presence. No corpse flower has bloomed at the garden for 15 years.

The plant only flowers every 7-10 years in the wild.

“The fact that they open very rarely, so they flower rarely, is obviously something that puts them at a little bit of a disadvantage in the wild,” said garden spokesperson Sophie Daniel, who designed Putricia's kooky and funereal display. “When they open, they have to hope that another flower is open nearby, because they can’t self-pollinate.”

There are thought to be only 300 of the plants in the wild and fewer than 1,000 worldwide — including those in cultivation. Among them is Putricia, which arrived at the garden seven years ago.

When her flower was spotted in December she was just 25 centimeters (10 inches) high. By Thursday, she was 1.6 meters (5 feet 3 inches) tall -– and her flower spike was slowly opening like a pleated skirt around a majestic central tuber, the yellow-green outer curling to reveal a burgundy center.

As excitement grew in Sydney about the moment of her bloom, garden staff erected crowd barriers, giving the Victorian greenhouse the air of a rock concert. Fans trod a red carpet to view Putricia from behind velvet ropes in a display inspired by Queen Victoria’s funeral, the Rocky Horror Picture Show and the oeuvre of the late director David Lynch.

Inside, fans took selfies and leaned in for a sniff — an increasingly perilous prospect as Putricia's odor developed. One young woman raised her hands and bowed as though in worship. On social media, garden staff performed a viral dance to Chappell Roan’s summer hit HOT TO GO! against a backdrop of the stately plant.

It was difficult to say why the regal, mysterious and stinky flower had attracted such a following -– but perhaps the answer lay in the “reverence” viewers felt in the presence of “such an amazing living being,” Daniel said.

Along with her real-life visitors, Putricia’s online fandom has been rapid, global and deeply strange -– if much less smelly. A 24/7 live stream established by the botanic garden drew close to a million views in less than a week and a shared language of memes and inside jokes sprang up.

Frequently deployed acronyms included WWTF, or we watch the flower, WDNRP -- we do not rush Putricia – and BBTB, or blessed be the bloom. “Putricia is a metaphor for my life,” wrote one poster, who did not elaborate.

Commenters on social media made plans to hurry to the garden as the plant opened. In just 24 hours, Putricia’s bloom -– and her stench -– would be gone.

As she unfurled, Putricia would heat to 37 degrees Celsius (100 F) to better spread her scent, Daniel said, attracting flies and carrion beetles to burrow inside and lay eggs. Then, work will begin to hand-pollinate the plant in efforts to ensure the species' diversity and survival.

But first, thousands of Putricians will attempt to get as close as they can to their hero of a week.

“We did have a few conversations early on about whether or not we should have vomit bags in the room," said Daniel, adding that garden staff ultimately decided against it. “I haven’t heard of anyone actually being harmed."

Graham-McLay reported from Wellington, New Zealand.

An endangered plant known as the "corpse flower" for its putrid stink, is about to bloom at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Sydney, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

An endangered plant known as the "corpse flower" for its putrid stink, is about to bloom at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Sydney, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

A man uses a mop to soak up water from the plants where an endangered plant known as the "corpse flower" for its putrid stink, is on display at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Sydney, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

A man uses a mop to soak up water from the plants where an endangered plant known as the "corpse flower" for its putrid stink, is on display at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Sydney, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

An endangered plant known as the "corpse flower" for its putrid stink, is about to bloom at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Sydney, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

An endangered plant known as the "corpse flower" for its putrid stink, is about to bloom at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Sydney, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

Sophie Daniel poses for a photo next to an endangered plant known as the "corpse flower" for its putrid stink, at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Sydney, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

Sophie Daniel poses for a photo next to an endangered plant known as the "corpse flower" for its putrid stink, at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Sydney, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

Karen, center left, and Wayne McKay photograph themselves with an endangered plant known as the "corpse flower" for its putrid stink, at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Sydney, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

Karen, center left, and Wayne McKay photograph themselves with an endangered plant known as the "corpse flower" for its putrid stink, at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Sydney, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

An endangered plant known as the "corpse flower" for its putrid stink, is about to bloom at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Sydney, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

An endangered plant known as the "corpse flower" for its putrid stink, is about to bloom at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Sydney, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

People view an endangered plant known as the "corpse flower" for its putrid stink, which is about to bloom at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Sydney, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

People view an endangered plant known as the "corpse flower" for its putrid stink, which is about to bloom at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Sydney, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

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