Sting helps good captains - al.com

Sting helps good captains - al.com: "THE FEDERAL sting that netted more than a dozen charter boats is bad news for violators, but it's good news for honest, hard-working fishing captains up and down the Gulf Coast.

By citing boats that operate illegally, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is protecting the rest of the charter fleet from unfair competition. NOAA also is supporting consumers who, when they pay for charter fishing trips, naturally expect that the boats are operating legally.

NOAA announced last week that it cited 15 charter boat companies for a variety of violations that included fishing out of season and catching undersized fish. All of them also were ticketed for operating without permits."