The fishing vessel Miss Jenna and her captain have had their docking privileges revoked in Menemsha harbor following the grounding of the vessel Thursday night off Lobsterville Beach in an apparent alcohol-related incident.

“We revoked the docking privileges, the continued operation of the captain of Miss Jenna and any vessel that he is under control of in Menemsha Basin,” Menemsha harbor master Ryan Rossi told the Gazette Monday.

Mr. Rossi was among those who responded to the scene of the grounding Thursday, along with the U.S. Coast Guard, Chilmark and Aquinnah police. The incident remains under investigation by the Coast Guard.

The 49-foot conch vessel is owned and operated by Andrew Wheeler.

According to the Coast Guard, late Thursday night the Miss Jenna was returning to port in Menemsha from a fishing trip on Nantucket Sound. Justin Longval, senior chief at Coast Guard Station Menemsha, said Mr. Wheeler had fallen asleep at the wheel, leaving the boat on autopilot as it hit ground off Lobsterville Beach at a pace of about eight knots.

The Coast Guard cutter Sanibel, a patrol boat anchored overnight in Menemsha Bight, saw the vessel first. “They saw the vessel go by them at a fairly close distance, proceeding in the direction of the beach,” Chief Longval said.

Responding Coast Guard officers boarded the vessel, which was still in gear but stuck in shallow water, finding Mr. Wheeler asleep in the wheelhouse. His mate, Preston Butler, was found asleep below decks. Coast Guard officers also found two empty 18-packs of beer and numerous nip bottles on board, according to a report from Chilmark police, who assisted from shore.

On shore, Chilmark police gave a breathalyzer test to Mr. Wheeler, who register a .04 blood alcohol two hours and a half hours after the accident, according to the report. Chilmark police said Monday that the report rounded the number down from .042 blood alcohol content. The legal limit for operating a commercial fishing vessel is .04 blood alcohol content, Chief Longval said.

The Coast Guard used a 24-foot vessel to bring a line to the grounded fishing boat, and then a 47-foot Coast Guard cutter towed the Miss Jenna to port in Menemsha. Chief Longval said the vessel sustained minimal damage. The scene was cleared at 3 a.m.

Mr. Rossi said Monday he concluded unequivocally that alcohol was a factor in the incident. “We know he was aground two and a half hours before he was breathalyzed,” Mr. Rossi said. “I can say he was significantly intoxicated at the time of the grounding.”

The harbor master said this marks the third grounding incident in the past year for the Miss Jenna. The most recent incident occurred off Naushon in August 2019, he said.

“Because of the frequency of accidents coming in and out of Menemsha in the last year, [Mr. Wheeler] has proven that his continued activity in Menemsha could pose a risk to other vessels,” Mr. Rossi said.

The harbor master regulates the movement of all boats within Menemsha Basin and has the authority to revoke all docking privileges. Mr. Rossi said he cleared the decision with the Chilmark board of selectmen.