By Richard Gaines
Staff Writer
—
In his spare time as federal fisheries police agent in charge of the Northeast region, Andrew Cohen also has conducted a longstanding commercial internet garage sale via eBay and other platforms — using his official government issue cell phone to field queries from potential buyers.
The items Cohen has put up for sale range from musical equipment to marine equipment including an EPIRB, a radio-satellite location system required on commercial fishing boats, outboard motors compasses and a Zodiac, which he offered for parts.
The same phone number that Cohen uses in the internet offerings was given as his official contact in a deposition he gave to U.S. District Court Judge Douglas Woodlock in the summer of 2009.
Woodlock demanded that Cohen and his subordinates involved in an effort to shutdown the Gloucester Seafood Display Auction explain their roles in the abortive effort to publicize a penalty while the business was appealing in federal court.
The Times reached Cohen Wednesday by calling the number given in the offerings and the deposition, but Cohen hung up after acknowledging that a possible change in jobs might be in the offing.
The offerings of merchandise can be traced to at least 2003, the year before Cohen was promoted to agent in charge of the Northeast region, and continued to the present.
In announcing his promotion in 2004 by then NOAA law enforcement director Dale J. Jones, NOAA noted that Cohen had been awarded U.S. Commerce Department's Gold and Silver medals and was a senior fellow at the Council for Excellence in Government.
NOAA did not return phone calls Wednesday seeking comment on the sidelight business and information about Cohen's present job, his next posting and his salary.
Richard Gaines can be reached at 978-283-7000, x3464 or at rgaines@gloucestertimes.com.
