ALCOAST 200/21 - MAY 2021 2020 CAPTAIN QUENTIN R. WALSH EXCELLENCE IN LIVING MARINE RESOURCES ENFORCEMENT AWARD WINNER

R 281425Z MAY 21
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC
TO ALCOAST
BT
UNCLAS
ALCOAST 200/21
SSIC 1650
SUBJ:  2020 CAPTAIN QUENTIN R. WALSH EXCELLENCE IN LIVING MARINE
RESOURCES ENFORCEMENT AWARD WINNER
A. COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC 251623Z FEB 21/ALCOAST 070/21
1. I am pleased to announce and congratulate BM1 Kyle Gaub of
USCGC TIGER SHARK as the recipient of the 2020 Captain Quentin
R. Walsh Excellence in Living Marine Resources (LMR) Enforcement
Award.
2. As the CGC TIGER SHARK’s Operations Petty Officer, BM1 Kyle
Gaub conducted 55 boardings as the Boarding Officer (BO) where
he identified 56 fisheries violations. Despite the unit facing
a significant personnel turnover in AY20 and the continued
challenges posed by the pandemic, BM1 Gaub quickly adapted to
the dynamic operating environment and successfully led all law
enforcement activities aboard CGC TIGER SHARK resulting in the
prosecution of nearly half of all District Eights’ fishery
violations in 2020. While conducting a commercial fishing
vessel (CFV) boarding, BM1 Gaub’s staunch attention to detail
led to the discovery of the turtle excluder devices and by-catch
reduction devices being sewn shut along with the Captain of the
vessel not being a U.S. citizen, resulting in one of District
Eights' highest LMR violation fines in history at $110,000.
While conducting another CFV boarding, he discovered shark fins
hidden in the cooling racks of the vessel’s fish hold. The
discovery led the Texas Parks and Wildlife Game Warden to
pursue felony charges for animal cruelty. BM1 Gaub consistently
demonstrated impressive initiative in the planning and execution
of interagency operations and capitalized on partnerships with
neighboring units to enhance mission effectiveness. During one
of BM1 Gaub’s multiagency operations, Operation Red Dawn,
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of Law
Enforcement and Texas Parks and Wildlife personnel collaborated
with Coast Guard units to prevent the overfishing of Gulf of
Mexico reef fish, including red snapper. The operation netted
39 red snapper violations. Furthermore, he worked extensively
with SECTOR Houston-Galveston Intel staff to leverage the
capabilities of the Maritime Intelligence Fusion Center Atlantic
and several intelligence products to develop and refine a
bi-weekly LMR intelligence product to increase efficiency
in LMR enforcement efforts for nine Sector sub-units and three
District Fast Response Cutters. Finally, when severe weather
canceled a Gulf Regional Fisheries Training Center Roadshow,
BM1 Gaub volunteered to share his knowledge of Gulf of Mexico
fisheries and provided six AOR LMR BOs with professional
development training.
3. The runner-up for this award goes to LTJG Patrick Hanrahan
from Sector San Francisco for his outstanding efforts executing
and supporting LMR operations Sector-wide.
4. Honorable mention goes to the following nominees (ordered
alphabetically by rank):
   a. BM3 Chase Cook, STA MARATHON
   b. ME3 Alexander Harpe, STA BELLINGHAM
   c. MK2 Austin Ahern, STA SOUTH PADRE ISLAND
   d. BM2 Christopher Geiser, STA SHINNECOCK
   e. BM2 Blake Westforth, CGC CHARLES SEXTON
   f. ME1 Justin Christianson, CGC DOUGLAS MUNRO
   g. ME1 Thomas Cirelli, SEC BOSTON
   h. BM1 Curtis Keller, CGC JOSEPH GERCZAK
   i. ME1 Tyrin Kendell, CGC ALERT
   j. BM1 Michael Mattei, CGC ANGELA McSHAN
   k. BM1 Chad Nicolai, CGC ISAAC MAYO
   l. BM1 Anthony Paz, CGC HERON
   m. BM1 Steven Swendsen, CGC BENJAMIN DAILEY
   n. BM1 Joel Washbond, CGC RAYMOND EVANS
   o. BMC Christopher Karpf, CGC STEELHEAD
   p. LTJG Matthew Ross, SEC NEW ORLEANS
   q. LT Christian DiBarti, CGC SITKINAK
5. The volume of outstanding nominations made selection difficult.
Not all nominees may be aware of their nomination and I strongly
encourage Commands to publicly recognize their accomplishments
and leadership examples in addition to documentation in their
performance evaluations.
6. Bravo Zulu to all the nominees and the many BOs and Boarding
Team Members 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 hard work and dedication
level the playing field in the $212 billion 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 COMDT (CG-MLE-4) portal page:
(Copy and Paste Below URL into Browser)

https://cg.portal.uscg.mil/units/cgmle/cgmle4/SitePages/Home.aspx

8. Direct any questions to COMDT (CG-MLE-4) POC, LT Rick Sprouse
at (202) 372-2186 or e-mail at richard.k.sprouse@uscg.mil.
9. RDML Scott W. Clendenin, Assistant Commandant for Response Policy
(CG-5R), sends.
10. Internet release is authorized.