NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement (OLE) protects marine wildlife and habitat by enforcing domestic laws and supporting international treaty requirements designed to ensure global resources are available for future generations. OLE special agents, enforcement officers, and enforcement support staff provide compliance assistance, education, and outreach with the nation’s marine resource laws.

The Office has released its first ever Annual Report. The report provides an overview about a few of the many cases OLE Enforcement Officers and Special Agents investigated last year, to include an ivory smuggling ring, an overfishing conspiracy, mislabeling crimes, fishing during closed seasons, and the harassment of marine mammals.

While OLE enforces marine resource protection laws, the Office of the General Counsel is NOAA’s civil prosecutor. Together, the two offices make up NOAA’s enforcement program and work with other NOAA program offices to establish national law enforcement policy.

OLE supports the core mission mandates of NOAA Fisheries—maximizing productivity of sustainable fisheries and fishing communities, as well as protection, recovery, and conservation of protected species.

To read the report, click here.