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…