CHARLESTON, S.C.– U.S. Coast Guard Sector Charleston crewmen conducted a harbor patrol as part of Operation Bubba Gump here, Aug. 29, 2020.

Operation Bubba Gump is a took place in South Carolina, Georgia state and federal waters. Joint agencies worked together to protect and enforce state and federal fishing regulations with a focus on shrimping fishery. The operation started Aug. 24 and is slated to end Sept. 6, 2020.

“According to NOAA [National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admininstration], shrimp is one of the highest value marine species with a landing value of $496 million in 2018,” said Lt. j.g. Allison Rychtanek, assigned to Sector Charleston Enforcement Division. “Fishing is a lucrative industry and it is critical to our citizens that we are harvesting these natural resources in a sustainable way. We want to ensure that while searching for shrimp, other species are not being negatively impacted.”

Nine different U.S. Coast Guard units partnered with South Carolina and Georgia’s Departments of Natural Resources, the S.C. Law Enforcement Division and the NOAA Office of Law Enforcement to patrol the waterways.

“We want to ensure mariners out on the water have all the necessary permissions and safety precautions in place to keep them safe while out operating,” said Rychtanek. “It also helps ensure the stability of a critical food source for the American people, and raises awareness and education about this industry.”

USCG Sector Charleston Boatswain’s Mate 3rd Class Anthony Santelli said the operation also serves as a training opportunity on one of the USCG’s living marine resources statutory mission.

“We don’t do a lot of fishery boardings here at the station but with us going out there for (Operation Bubba Gump), we were able to gain that experience,” he said.