ALCOAST 216/20 - JUN 2020 2019 CAPTAIN QUENTIN R. WALSH EXCELLENCE IN LIVING MARINE RESOURCES ENFORCEMENT AWARD WINNER

R 031230 JUN 20
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC //CG-5R//
TO ALCOAST
UNCLAS //N01650//
ALCOAST 216/20
COMDTNOTE 1650
SUBJ: 2019 CAPTAIN QUENTIN R. WALSH EXCELLENCE IN LIVING MARINE RESOURCES ENFORCEMENT
AWARD WINNER
A. COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC 221229 JAN 20/ALCOAST 019/20
1. I am pleased to announce and congratulate BMC Nickolas Meegan of USCGC KINGFISHER
as the recipient of the 2019 Captain Quentin R. Walsh Excellence in Living Marine
Resources (LMR) Enforcement Award.
2. As the USCGC KINGFISHER's Operations Petty Officer, BMC Meegan conducted 33 LMR
boardings as Boarding Officer (BO) and assisted with 71 additional LMR boardings as
subject matter expert for the cutter. Through BMC Meegan's outstanding leadership
and constant drive for excellence, USCGC KINGFISHER ranked third in patrol boats
and fifth in all afloat units for total LMR boardings Coast Guard wide; a notable
accomplishment considering that the cutter went through a depot availability and
exchanged hulls during the award period. While conducting a commercial fishing
vessel (CFV) boarding, BMC Meegan leveraged his superior LMR knowledge to identify
and issue an unusual exemption violation in which the vessel had illegally retained
1,400 pounds of summer flounder estimated to be worth approximately $17,000. While on
board another CFV, he found that the vessel was in possession of ten oversized skate
which led to a larger operation targeting additional CFVs. That resulting operation
discovered overage violations amounting to $27,000 worth of illegal catch. In addition
to BMC Meegan's operational excellence, he worked closely with the First District’s
Enforcement Staff to identify discrepancies and loopholes within the LMR BO Job Aid
Kit (BOJAK). His recommendations were incorporated into an updated BOJAK by the
Northeast Regional Fisheries Training Center and ultimately increased efficiency and
proficiency of LMR BOs District wide. Finally, he worked closely with the Sector Long
Island Sound Intelligence staff to release multiple Field Intelligence Reports (FIRs)
that identified little-known areas of high CFV traffic, increased targeted quality
boardings, and helped to streamline and prioritize LMR boardings District wide. BMC
Meegan's operational excellence and far-reaching expert LMR influence sets his
nomination apart.
3. The runner-up for this award goes to ME2 Nicholas Catino from USCGC MELLON for his
outstanding and groundbreaking efforts during Operation North Pacific Guard 2019. As
illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing becomes a more pervasive threat on
a global scale, ME2 Catino and the crew of USCGC MELLON proved that the USCG can and
will play a vital role in this mission space.
4. Honorable mention goes to the following nominees (in order of rank):
    a) ME2 Olin Algire, USCGC ALEX HALEY
    b) BM2 Jacob Davis, STA FORT MEYERS BEACH
    c) ME2 Chad Denny, USCGC JOHN MIDGETT
    d) BM2 Jason Dunsavage, STA CHATHAM
    e) ME2 Zane Farrington, STA VALDEZ
    f) OS2 Joshua Pope, USCGC ACTIVE
    g) BM2 Armando Rodriquez, STA PONCE DE LEON
    h) BM2 Steven Swendsen, USCGC BENJAMIN DAILEY
    i) MK2 Jacob Waters-Maciel, STA MENEMSHA
    j) BM2 Matthew Woodring, USCGC BELUGA
    k) BM1 Allen Cantrell, USCGC NATHAN BRUCKENTHAL
    l) BM1 Sean Homan, USCGC SITKINAK
    m) BM1 Micheal Keiran, USCGC ISAAC MAYO
    n) BM1 Jeremy Peoples, USCGC JACOB POROO
    o) BM1 Jacob Wilson, USCGC MORAY
    p) LTJG Richard Moore, USCGC ORCAS
    q) LTJG Nathan Wilson, SEC HOUSTON-GALVESTON
5. The volume of outstanding nominations made selection difficult. Not all nominees
may be aware of their nomination and so I encourage Commands to publicly recognize
their accomplishments and leadership examples.
6. Bravo Zulu to all the nominees and the many BOs and BTMs who perform this important
mission day in and day out. The Coast Guard is increasingly reliant on the stellar
efforts of boarding officers in the face of growing mission demands and limited
resourcing. Your daily hard work and dedication level the playing field in the $212
billion dollar commercial and recreational fishing industry, which supports 1.7 million
jobs across the nation.
7. Additional information about the award, including the winner’s award nomination,
is available on the Commandant (CG-MLE-4) portal page:
https://cg.portal.uscg.mil/units/cgmle/cgmle4/SitePages/Home.aspx.
8. Direct any questions to Commandant (CG-MLE-4) POC, LT Henry B. Ward at (202) 372-2184
or e-mail at henry.b.ward@uscg.mil.
9. RDML Scott W. Clendenin, Assistant Commandant for Response Policy, sends.
10. Internet release is authorized.