An Alaska State Trooper patrol vessel brought all 22 crewmembers of the Bangun Perkasa to shore around 5pm on October 3rd. They were escorted off the Stimson wearing face masks and hazmat suits.

The crewmembers speak five different Southeast Asian languages, but it is unclear what countries they are from and whether they have any official documentation. Agents from Customs and Border Protection have taken the crew into custody while their nationalities are being determined.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of Law Enforcement will question the crew to determine who is responsible for the boat and whether they were working with other pirate vessels.

The 140-foot Perkasa is being held in Broad Bay, outside the Port of Dutch Harbor.  A tip from the Fishing Agency of Japan led the Coast Guard cutter Munro to the Perkasa in mid-September.  Usually, illegal fishing vessels are sent back to their home countries, but stateless vessels have to be seized and escorted to a U.S. port.

In the Perkasa’s case, this poses a problem because in addition to its illegal catch, the boat is carrying an unknown number of rats.  The Coast Guard has contracted extermination experts to deal with the infestation. In the meantime, the Perkasa cannot enter state waters.  

A Coast Guard boarding team discovered 10 miles of drift net, 30 tons of squid and 30 shark carcasses onboard the Perkasa.  NOAA will do a more complete survey of the catch once the rats onboard have been eradicated.

Although no charges have been filed, vessels fishing illegally face criminal penalties of up to $100,000 and civil penalties of up to $25,000.

Officials from NOAA and the Alaska State Troopers would not provide comment on future plans for the vessel.