Enforcement Section Enforcement Section Offices Frequently Asked Questions Penalty Policy and Schedules: Penalty Policy and Schedules Summary Settlement Schedules Fix-It Schedules Response to Public Comments Superseded Penalty Schedules Procedural Regulations Enforcement Charging Information: March-July 2010 August-December 2010 January-June 2011 July-December 2011

Enforcement Section The Enforcement Section coordinates and implements the NOAA General Counsel’s delegated authority as NOAA’s civil prosecutor. The office prosecutes civil penalty cases, permit sanctions, and administrative forfeitures; provides support to the U.S. Department of Justice in prosecution of law enforcement cases in Federal courts and formulates NOAA’s position in such cases; establishes national law enforcement policy in conjunction with NOAA Fisheries Enforcement and NOAA program offices; provides legal support to NOAA Fisheries Enforcement and other NOAA offices, including the Sustainable Fisheries Division and Protected Resources Division; and advises NOAA officials on specific enforcement cases and general enforcement trends and issues. The office has sixteen attorneys, two paralegals, and one support staff. The Acting Section Chief is Charles (Chaz) Greene and Richard Mannix serves as the Deputy Section Chief. Contact Information: Enforcement Section NOAA, Office of General Counsel 8484 Georgia Avenue, Suite 400 Silver Spring, MD 20910 Telephone: 301/427-2202 Fax: 301/427-2211 NOAA seeks input on enforcement priorities. Public comment period on draft list of priorities open through January 9. On November 8, 2011, NOAA released a draft of its enforcement priorities and invited the public to submit comments through January 9. These enforcement priorities are the latest step NOAA is taking to improve its enforcement program, and will help the agency emphasize compliance through better communication with fishermen. Other improvements in the last two years include new leadership, higher-level review of charging decisions, and a new penalty policy to ensure more consistent penalties nationwide. Announcement Draft Enforcement Priorities How to Comment EPA ALJs to Hear Newly Docketed NOAA Enforcement Cases. Starting September 8, 2011, all newly docketed NOAA enforcement cases will be heard by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Administrative Law Judges (ALJs). Working through the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's "ALJ Loan Program," which coordinates the temporary loan of ALJs from one agency to another, NOAA has arranged for the EPA Office of Administrative Law Judges to provide NOAA with temporary ALJ Services. ALJs from the EPA have extensive experience handling enforcement cases involving complex federal natural resource statutes, including the Clean Water Act and the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act, among others. ALJs from the U.S. Coast Guard are expected to continue to handle cases docketed prior to September 8, 2011.