Latest news with #KylePotter
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Alaska man sentenced to one year in prison over illegal transport of crab to Washington
Law enforcement officers examine a load of Alaska crab, much of it infested with Bitter Crab Syndrome, after it arrived in Washington state in 2024. (Photo provided by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Police) A Kodiak fisher has been sentenced to spend a year in jail for illegally shipping thousands of pounds of tanner crab, much of it infected with a parasitic disease, out of Alaska to Washington state, federal officials said. The fisherman, Corey Potter, was also sentenced to two years' supervised release following his jail term, during which he will be barred from commercial fishing anywhere in the world, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said. The investigation was led by NOAA Fisheries' Office of Law Enforcement. The sentence was imposed on May 13 by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Burgess in Anchorage. The case concerns tanner and Golden king crab harvested in 2024 in Southeast Alaska. Potter owned two vessels, one of them captained by his son, Kyle Potter, and the other by employee Justin Welch. Rather than unload the crab catch in Alaska, as is required by state law, the three men kept the live crab in the vessels and took the catch to Washington state, passing through Canadian waters along the way. The motivation was to fetch higher prices for their catch, according to prosecutors' documents. At the time, according to evidence presented in court documents, the men knew that a large proportion of the catch was infested with Bitter Crab Syndrome, a parasitic disease that usually kills the crabs and renders their meat inedible. Bitter Crab Syndrome is not toxic for people, but infected crab meat can be bitter and eating it is likened to chewing on aspirin. That evidence included text messages from other Alaska fishers who cautioned Potter and his son against bringing infested crab to market, with one expressing concerns that their actions would hurt the reputation and marketability of all Alaska crab. Bitter Crab Syndrome affects numerous species, and it is considered a possible contributor to the crash of Bering Sea snow crab and king crab stocks that led to an unprecedented string of harvest closures between 2021 and 2024. The main reason for the stock crashes, scientists believe, was the warmth in the habitat, which led to crab starvation. In the years leading up to the fishery closures, however, there was an increase in Bitter Crab Syndrome. The disease is linked to warming waters and climate change, according to scientists from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Kyle Potter and Welch pleaded guilty last year. In October, Kyle Potter was sentenced to five years' probation and ordered to pay a $20,000 fine; Welch was sentenced to three years' probation and ordered to pay a $10,000 fine. Ultimately, the loads of crab they delivered never made it to any market. They were seized by Washington state law enforcement officers and deemed unfit for sale or consumption. Of the Golden king crab, 42% of the catch was dead upon arrival; of the tanner crab, so much was infested that the entire load was disposed of in a landfill, federal officials said. Potter pleaded guilty in February to two counts of violating the Lacey Act, the federal law that concerns transport of wildlife and fish across state lines. Prosecutors identified him as the leader of the scheme and therefore requested heavier penalties. Potter, in a presentencing memorandum, asked for probation rather than jail time, arguing that his long career of fishing in Alaska has now ended and that at the age of 64, he is now financially ruined. 'As a result of last year's terrible crabbing season, which included the instant offense conduct, he has been financially destroyed. One of the boats involved in this offense was foreclosed on, and the other is believed to have been seized by the state. He has been reduced to relying upon family for assistance and has no viable means to support himself,' the May 6 defense memo said. But prosecutors, who argued for 18 months imprisonment, said actions with the diseased crab fit Potter's yearslong pattern of sloppy maintenance and unsafe behavior. In their presentencing report, also filed on May 6, prosecutors listed numerous past problems with the vessels Potter owned. They have been cited for chronically leaking oil, broken down at sea – requiring crew members to be rescued – and sunk in different sites, the report said. 'The defendant's track record as a vessel operator in Alaska is abysmal. He has shown a total disregard for the safety of his crew, the safety of Alaskan waterways, and the health of the marine environment,' the prosecutors' presentencing report said. Yet to be determined is the amount of restitution that Potter will be ordered to pay for the trafficked crab. The government is seeking $187,187 in restitution. A hearing on that subject is set for July 15. This article was first published by Alaska Beacon, part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Alaska Beacon maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Andrew Kitchenman for questions: info@
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Delta Issues Statement After Pricing Tactics Were Exposed
Earlier this week, a prominent travel writer exposed Delta, American, and United for an apparent pricing strategy that charged passengers more for solo seats than for group seats. Now, Delta has broken its silence on the matter. Kyle Potter, executive editor at Thrifty Traveler, recently discovered that Delta, United, and American – the nation's three largest airlines – were charging significantly more for solo travelers than groups when purchasing the same tickets on the same flights. "I saw a $206 one-way fare to Newark this summer," Potter told WCCO News. "I bumped it up to two passengers, then all of a sudden, I'm looking at $156 for the same fare." "You start doing some math, double checking, 'What's going on here? Did I enter the wrong airport code? Did I change the date on accident?' It became pretty clear, quickly, this was a penalty for booking just one ticket," he told the outlet. "This isn't an isolated incident. This is a trend. This is something that airlines are doing in order to squeeze more money out of people who are booking just one passenger." Following the news, WCCO reached out to each of the three airlines and received a brief comment from a Delta spokesperson, breaking the airline's silence on the matter. In an email to WCCO, the spokesperson said that they were "limited in what it can say about pricing," but did add that "this pricing structure is not new to Delta or the airline industry." It's worth noting that after this pricing tactic was exposed, Delta did update its fares nationwide on Friday afternoon and is no longer charging more for solo travelers, offering the same fares for solo travelers and groups of travelers. United followed this move, updating its fares on Friday evening. American, however, had not updated its fares as of Sunday. Delta Issues Statement After Pricing Tactics Were Exposed first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 1, 2025
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Kodiak man sentenced to one year in prison over illegal transport of Alaska crab to Washington
A tanner crab is seen in this undated photo. A Kodiak man has been sentenced to jail for illegally transporting Alaska crab out of state. (Photo provided by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries Service) A Kodiak fisher has been sentenced to spend a year in jail for illegally shipping thousands of pounds of tanner crab, much of it infected with a parasitic disease, out of Alaska to Washington state, federal officials said. The fisherman, Corey Potter, was also sentenced to two years' supervised release following his jail term, during which he will be barred from commercial fishing anywhere in the world, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said. The investigation was led by NOAA Fisheries' Office of Law Enforcement. The sentence was imposed on May 13 by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Burgess in Anchorage. The case concerns tanner and Golden king crab harvested in 2024 in Southeast Alaska. Potter owned two vessels, one of them captained by his son, Kyle Potter, and the other by employee Justin Welch. Rather than unload the crab catch in Alaska, as is required by state law, the three men kept the live crab in the vessels and took the catch to Washington state, passing through Canadian waters along the way. The motivation was to fetch higher prices for their catch, according to prosecutors' documents. At the time, according to evidence presented in court documents, the men knew that a large proportion of the catch was infested with Bitter Crab Syndrome, a parasitic disease that usually kills the crabs and renders their meat inedible. Bitter Crab Syndrome is not toxic for people, but infected crab meat can be bitter and eating it is likened to chewing on aspirin. That evidence included text messages from other Alaska fishers who cautioned Potter and his son against bringing infested crab to market, with one expressing concerns that their actions would hurt the reputation and marketability of all Alaska crab. Bitter Crab Syndrome affects numerous species, and it is considered a possible contributor to the crash of Bering Sea snow crab and king crab stocks that led to an unprecedented string of harvest closures between 2021 and 2024. The main reason for the stock crashes, scientists believe, was the warmth in the habitat, which led to crab starvation. In the years leading up to the fishery closures, however, there was an increase in Bitter Crab Syndrome. The disease is linked to warming waters and climate change, according to scientists from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Kyle Potter and Welch pleaded guilty last year. In October, Kyle Potter was sentenced to five years' probation and ordered to pay a $20,000 fine; Welch was sentenced to three years' probation and ordered to pay a $10,000 fine. Ultimately, the loads of crab they delivered never made it to any market. They were seized by Washington state law enforcement officers and deemed unfit for sale or consumption. Of the Golden king crab, 42% of the catch was dead upon arrival; of the tanner crab, so much was infested that the entire load was disposed of in a landfill, federal officials said. Potter pleaded guilty in February to two counts of violating the Lacey Act, the federal law that concerns transport of wildlife and fish across state lines. Prosecutors identified him as the leader of the scheme and therefore requested heavier penalties. Potter, in a presentencing memorandum, asked for probation rather than jail time, arguing that his long career of fishing in Alaska has now ended and that at the age of 64, he is now financially ruined. 'As a result of last year's terrible crabbing season, which included the instant offense conduct, he has been financially destroyed. One of the boats involved in this offense was foreclosed on, and the other is believed to have been seized by the state. He has been reduced to relying upon family for assistance and has no viable means to support himself,' the May 6 defense memo said. But prosecutors, who argued for 18 months imprisonment, said actions with the diseased crab fit Potter's yearslong pattern of sloppy maintenance and unsafe behavior. In their presentencing report, also filed on May 6, prosecutors listed numerous past problems with the vessels Potter owned. They have been cited for chronically leaking oil, broken down at sea – requiring crew members to be rescued – and sunk in different sites, the report said. 'The defendant's track record as a vessel operator in Alaska is abysmal. He has shown a total disregard for the safety of his crew, the safety of Alaskan waterways, and the health of the marine environment,' the prosecutors' presentencing report said. Yet to be determined is the amount of restitution that Potter will be ordered to pay for the trafficked crab. The government is seeking $187,187 in restitution. A hearing on that subject is set for July 15.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
U.S. Airlines Are Reportedly Charging Solo Travelers More for Plane Tickets—Here's What You Need to Know
A new industry report indicates that U.S. airlines may be charging more for individually booked tickets. In one example, a solo ticket was priced at $422 per person, but dropped to $266 per person when the same route was booked for two people. In order to save on your next flight, experts recommend clearing your browser history and setting up price alerts on your desired traveling alone can be enticing and relaxing, new data reveals it might also be more expensive. U.S. airlines are allegedly charging single passengers higher fares than couples or families, according to a new report from the booking site Thrifty Traveler. The travel data team recently compared the price of a single-ticket purchase versus that of two or more tickets. In multiple instances, the single-ticket purchase was more expensive per one example, the report showed how a United Airlines flight from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport (PIA) cost $269 for a one-way ticket for a person traveling alone. But when the same route was booked for two people, the price dropped to $181 per person. The team also noted that a single fare on an American Airlines flight that was priced at $422 dropped to $266 per person when multiple tickets were booked. 'It's just another way for airlines to continue 'segmenting' their customers, charging business travelers paying with a corporate card more while offering a better deal to families on the exact same flight," Thrifty Traveler executive editor Kyle Potter said in the report also notes that the phenomenon doesn't appear to be a widespread occurrence, and may be a limited-time test, or may only appear on select routes. After the report was released, dozens of flyers and aviation enthusiasts confirmed the findings independently. Jeff Rossen, a consumer correspondent and the host of the Rossen Reports, shared his experience of seeing higher fares for single tickets on social media.'I picked a random round-trip flight, and the first one I picked, boom … a giant $240.93 price difference,' Rossen told Travel + Leisure. 'Same flights. Same cabin.'He also said booking websites may use other clues to potentially generate higher fares and prices for certain customers.'Airlines can track your search history and apply different prices based on it,' Rossen said. 'So, clear your cache and cookies before logging into the airline. Better yet, search in incognito mode to avoid price hikes targeting you.' At the time of publication, neither American Airlines nor United Airlines provided a comment to T+L. In the meantime, if you're traveling alone, experts recommend setting up price alerts to save some cash. Alternatively, you could consider flying into other nearby (often smaller) airfields that may be less expensive. Read the original article on Travel & Leisure
%3Amax_bytes(150000)%3Astrip_icc()%2FTAL-solo-traveler-SOLOCOSTSMORE0525-493fd3dfbc19457b8c18046b2dec8477.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
Travel + Leisure
3 days ago
- Business
- Travel + Leisure
U.S. Airlines Are Reportedly Charging Solo Travelers More for Plane Tickets—Here's What You Need to Know
While traveling alone can be enticing and relaxing, new data reveals it might also be more expensive. U.S. airlines are allegedly charging single passengers higher fares than couples or families, according to a new report from the booking site Thrifty Traveler. The travel data team recently compared the price of a single-ticket purchase versus that of two or more tickets. In multiple instances, the single-ticket purchase was more expensive per passenger. In one example, the report showed how a United Airlines flight from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport (PIA) cost $269 for a one-way ticket for a person traveling alone. But when the same route was booked for two people, the price dropped to $181 per person. The team also noted that a single fare on an American Airlines flight that was priced at $422 dropped to $266 per person when multiple tickets were booked. 'It's just another way for airlines to continue 'segmenting' their customers, charging business travelers paying with a corporate card more while offering a better deal to families on the exact same flight," Thrifty Traveler executive editor Kyle Potter said in the article. The report also notes that the phenomenon doesn't appear to be a widespread occurrence, and may be a limited-time test, or may only appear on select routes. After the report was released, dozens of flyers and aviation enthusiasts confirmed the findings independently. Jeff Rossen, a consumer correspondent and the host of the Rossen Reports, shared his experience of seeing higher fares for single tickets on social media. 'I picked a random round-trip flight, and the first one I picked, boom … a giant $240.93 price difference,' Rossen told Travel + Leisure . 'Same flights. Same cabin.' He also said booking websites may use other clues to potentially generate higher fares and prices for certain customers. 'Airlines can track your search history and apply different prices based on it,' Rossen said. 'So, clear your cache and cookies before logging into the airline. Better yet, search in incognito mode to avoid price hikes targeting you.' At the time of publication, neither American Airlines nor United Airlines provided a comment to T+L. In the meantime, if you're traveling alone, experts recommend setting up price alerts to save some cash. Alternatively, you could consider flying into other nearby (often smaller) airfields that may be less expensive.
