Three individuals were sentenced and fined a total of $29,000 for multiple violations of Canada's Fisheries Act in Sechelt Provincial Court on Feb 8.
A Sechelt provincial court spokesperson confirmed to Coast Reporter Yu Rang Tang, Bai Jia Ye and Sheng Hui Zhao were convicted of possession of clams, and for illegal possession of prohibited clam species that day. One of them was additionally convicted of possessing more than the legal limit of rockfish, according to a March 6 Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) press release.
On Sept. 22, 2022, DFO Conservation and Protection fishery personnel were on patrol in Egmont. The officers observed possible fishing activity on a dock that is part of a fishing lodge and a private residence. During a subsequent inspection, three individuals were found in possession of 14 rockfish, 969 Littleneck/Manilla clams, one oyster, 83 Varnish clams, and 12 Butter clams. The Varnish clams and Butter clams were prohibited for harvest at that time due to potential contamination, said the release. All the shellfish and rockfish were seized as evidence; the shellfish were released live at a different location and the rockfish were stored at the Powell River office to be tendered as evidence, if needed.
The daily limit for a licensed angler is one rockfish per day with a two-day aggregate possession limit of two. The individual daily limit of clams is 60 with an aggregate possession limit of 120.
In conjunction with the fines, the anglers were all given fishing prohibitions and banned from attending the fishing lodge for periods of time ranging from one to two years. This Egmont lodge is run by one of the guilty individuals, who also acts as a fishing guide. In a March 6 statement to CNW Newswire, media relations staff from Pacific Region, Fisheries and Oceans Canada stated, “The significant fines and prohibitions handed down in this case underscore the seriousness of violating fishing rules and regulations under Canada's Fisheries Act intended to protect and preserve at-risk fish populations."
DFO has a mandate to protect and conserve marine resources and to enforce the Fisheries Act. As part of DFO's work to disrupt and prevent illegal activity, the Department asks the public for information on activities of this nature or any contravention of the Fisheries Act and regulations. Anyone with information can call DFO Pacific region's toll-free violation reporting line at 1-800-465-4336, or email the details to [email protected].
