On Oct. 26, Santa Barbara prosecutors reached a settlement with the owner of a ship that ran aground off Santa Cruz Island in 2022, spilling roughly 1,300 gallons of diesel fuel and oil into the Pacific Ocean.
Ocean Angel VI, the owner of the wayward squid fishing-vessel,
Speranza Marie,
paid $100,000 to the Consumer and Environmental Protection Unit. The fines resolved violations with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, as well as funding environmental and rehabilitation efforts in the impacted area.
The cause of the spill was attributed to the captain falling asleep while operating the vessel. Further investigation found that the captain had embarked on two back-to-back fishing trips after getting only three hours of sleep over a two-day period.
This case is yet another reminder of what can happen when individuals operate motorized vehiclesboth on land and at seawithout proper sleep. 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, Santa Barbara District Attorney John Savrnoch said.
The vessel ran aground at Chinese Harbor, with oil from the spill visible within a mile of the area. Several hundred birds were also reported to have been covered in oil.
Agencies were unable to recover the vessel for weeks after the grounding, with crews raising concerns about the vessels location and stormy waters.
The vessels owners fully cooperated with the investigation and assisted organizations involved in the recovery efforts.