Southeast Alaskan fisherman sentenced in illegal halibut fishing conspiracy
Published 6:38 pm Friday, May 8, 2026
A Southeast Alaskan fisherman has been sentenced in an illegal halibut fishing conspiracy.
Vincent Jacobson, 52, was sentenced on May 6 to five years’ probation, a $15,000 fine and a world-wide fishing and hunting ban throughout his time on probation for his role in a conspiracy to illegally harvest halibut with another commercial fisherman, in violation of the Lacey Act, the District of Alaska’a U.S. Attorney’s Office announced May 7. The case was prosecuted out of the Juneau office.
Jacobson had pleaded guilty to one count of Lacey Act conspiracy on Aug. 28, 2025.
Benjamin Cheeseman, the assistant director of the Alaska division’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of Law Enforcement, said protecting the future of Alaska’s fisheries requires honest fishing practices, promoting fairness and equity for all industry participants.
“These sentences ensure lawful stakeholders are given the opportunity to conduct successful business, by sending a powerful message to potential offenders. We remain vigilant in ensuring offenders are deterred, and preserving Alaska’s fisheries for our Nation’s future.”
Court documents show, that from September 2019 to August 2022, Yakutat resident Jacobson conspired to fraudulently use Individual Fishing Quota permits to commit violations of federal law and regulations.
An IFQ permit is a permit any individual commercially fishing for halibut in the waters off Alaska is required to have. It requires a permit holder to be aboard a vessel at all times during a fishing trip, including when fishing gear is set and when fish are harvested from the set gear.
It’s alleged that Jonathan Pavlik, 41, conspired with Jacobson. Pavlik is also a Yakutat resident.
On Aug. 24, 2022, Pavlik allegedly directed his crew aboard the F/V New Era to receive halibut on his behalf from Jacobson aboard the F/V Epic. The halibut was harvested by the F/V Epic at a time that neither Pavlik nor his crew were aboard, which is a violation of federal law and regulations.
The attorney’s office says Pavlik later landed the halibut under his IFQ permit, allegedly falsely reporting the harvest and that the halibut was creditable to his IFQ balance, when the halibut had been harvested from fishing gear that was set by the F/V Epic and transferred to the F/V New Era, while Pavlik was not on board the vessel.
The next day, while aboard the F/V New Era, Pavlik allegedly got halibut from fishing gear that had been set by Jacobson aboard the F/V Epic at a time when Pavlik was not on the vessel.
Pavlik then landed halibut under his IFQ permit, allegedly falsely reporting the vessel of harvest and that the halibut was creditable to his IFQ balance, when the halibut had been harvested from fishing gear that was set by the F/V Epic while he was not aboard the vessel.
It’s alleged that Pavlik then paid Jacobson for the illegally caught halibut from both days.
Jacobson participated in two additional fishing trips in 2019 and 2020. The attorney’s office says both trips were with “nearly identical conduct.”
Pavlik is charged with four counts of Lacey Act conspiracy, five counts of Lacey Act unlawful sale, and five counts of Lacey Act false labeling. He is awaiting the scheduling of his trial.
In addition to Jacobson and Pavlik, three others were charged: Kyle Dierick, 36, of Yakutat; Michael Babic, 43, of Cordova; and Timothy Ross, 58, of Washington.
Dierick is charged with one count of one count of Lacey Act conspiracy. He is awaiting the scheduling of his trial.
Babic is charged with one count of Lacey Act conspiracy. He is awaiting the scheduling of his trial.
Ross pleaded guilty to one count of Lacey Act conspiracy on Sept. 8, 2025, and was sentenced to five years’ probation and a $15,000 fine on Dec. 10, 2025.
“In the heart of IFQ season, this sentence should serve as a reminder that there are significant consequences for breaking the laws that help sustain and maintain Alaska’s vital fishing industry,” District of Alaska U.S. Attorney General Michael J. Heyman said.
“Mr. Jacobson knew the rules and regulations surrounding commercial halibut fishing and used that knowledge to game the system. This conduct is an affront to law abiding commercial fisherman and he now has a federal criminal conviction because of it.”
