Omega Protein, Inc., producer of omega-3 fish oils, has been fined $5.5 million for polluting Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean with fish waste and oil-fouled water from it fish processing plant and through its menhaden fleet based in Reedsville, Virginia.
In addition to the $5.5 million fine, the company will be required to make a $2 million payment to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to fund projects in Virginia related to the protection of the environmental health of the Chesapeake Bay.
The fine, as well as three years of probation, relates to two charges. The first took place between May 2008 and September 2010, when the company pleaded guilty to combining bail water (water mixed with fish waste) with pollution from its fish processing plant and another substance, and dumping it in Chesapeake Bay within the three nautical mile boundary. According to court records, the company was permitted to dispose of the waste outside the boundary, as long as it was not mixed with any other chemicals or waste.
The second charge relates to the company discharging oily wastewater directly into the sea between April 2009 and September 2010.
In a statement, Bret Scholtes, the company's Chief Executive Officer said, "Omega Protein, Inc. is committed to ensuring that we operate in compliance with federal and state environmental requirements. The Company has expended significant resources to strengthen its environmental compliance systems across its operations. We are committed to being a responsible corporate citizen and protecting the ocean waters upon which we all rely."
