Reliance on whistleblowers weighs on US vessel pollution cases
Sums awarded to whistleblowers in vessel pollution cases can be life-changing, while shipowners and operators may incur hefty fines
Illegal discharges at sea are near-impossible to uncover without whistleblowers, who are entitled to financial awards from the US government. But although this role is crucial, concerns are being raised about the pressure this places upon seafarers and the over-reliance on them to expose malign practices
