South Carolina Fisherman Convicted for Falsifying Catch Records and Lying to Federal Agents

NOAA Fisheries’ Office of Law Enforcement led an investigation resulting in the conviction and sentencing of Don Rynn for violations related to commercial fishing, including lying to federal agents. On July 22, United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel sentenced Rynn to 12 months and 1 day of incarceration, followed by 3 years of supervised release and a $7,500 fine. He was found guilty of making false statements on trip reports about the amount and quality of fish, as well as lying to federal agents. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina successfully prosecuted the case. Rynn manages two commercial fishing vessels based out of McClellanville, South Carolina, both of which were involved in this case.

In 2023, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources’ Saltwater Unit received a tip regarding false reporting of federally managed snowy grouper and tilefish harvested by the bottom longline vessel, the Maximum Retriever. “NOAA Fisheries’ special agents and state officers obtained key prosecution evidence, including testimony implicating the subject, logbooks and video footage.” said Manny Antonaras, assistant director, NOAA Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement, Southeast Division. “The video footage showed Rynn and his fishing vessel crew illegally transferring fish between the Maximum Retriever and another of his managed boats, the Crystal C.” Our investigation revealed that the Maximum Retriever exceeded their commercial trip limits by nearly three times the limit for grouper and one and a half times the limit for tilefish. 

We determined a timeline of Rynn’s actions to intentionally circumvent commercial trip limits and instruct his employees to aid him in violating these restrictions. The captain of the Maximum Retriever stated that Rynn instructed him to “keep everything he caught and they would transfer any overages to the Crystal C when he returned.” The Maximum Retriever exceeded their catch limits and called Rynn to set up an early morning dockside transfer of fish between his vessels, in order to conceal their catch overages. Rynn instructed the crew from the Maximum Retriever to place overages of snowy grouper and tilefish onto the Crystal C, which did not catch any of these fish during its trip. He submitted false reports to NOAA to conceal the overages. Both species are federally managed with commercial trip limits in place to aid in stock sustainability. 

One of NOAA Fisheries’ main objectives is to maintain fish stocks in federal waters that are important to all sectors (commercial and recreational) for long-term economic and social benefits to the nation. Fishery-related violations, such as those committed in this case, fall under jurisdiction of NOAA Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement. Individuals who violate fishery regulations will be investigated and, if appropriate, prosecuted. 

“It is our job to protect honest fishermen. This verdict should serve as a reminder that those who break the rules will be held accountable,” said Antonaras, “The expertise of our investigators and state partners at South Carolina’s Saltwater Unit were integral in the successful prosecution of this case.”

Identifying and halting illegal sales of commercially harvested fish is a priority for NOAA Fisheries. This successful prosecution is a credit to the investigators and the close working relationship between NOAA Fisheries, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, and prosecuting partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office District of South Carolina. 

NOAA encourages anyone with knowledge of persons committing marine fishery crimes to call the NOAA Enforcement Hotline at (800) 853-1964.

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Wayne Creed

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