June 7, 2007
Queen Charlotte City, B.C. Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) announced today that a Prince Rupert resident and commercial prawn fisher has been convicted of illegal fishing and fined $15,000.
On June 3, 2004, around the Queen Charlotte Islands, fishery officers observed the fishing vessel Dawn Chase hauling shrimp/prawn traps gear twice on the same day. Mr. Tan Nguyen Nguyen, captain and owner of the Dawn Chase, was subsequently charged for failing to comply with the conditions of a commercial prawn licence.
Recently, in Prince Rupert provincial court, Mr. Nguyen was fined a total of $15,000, of which $14,500 will be directed toward DFO for the proper management and conservation of fish and fish habitat.
Mr. Nguyen has previously been convicted for conducting the same illegal activity in the Prince Rupert area.
As a condition under the commercial prawn licence, fishers are permitted to fish between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. during the season and are permitted to haul their gear only once daily during this period. The intent of this management measure, agreed to by the prawn industry, is to reduce the handling and mortality of undersized prawns, by allowing smaller prawns enough time to enter and then leave the trap while the gear is on the ocean bottom. Multiple hauling is the practice of hauling gear to the surface more than once per day to recover the catch, an illegal practice that is contrary to the commercial prawn licence conditions and provides an unfair advantage over other prawn fishers within the same coastal area.
DFO acts to end illegal fishing activity. As part of this work, the Department is asking the general public for information on activities of this nature or any contravention of the Fisheries Act and Regulations. Anyone with information can call the toll-free violation reporting line at 1-800-465-4336.
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FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Michelle Imbeau,
Communications Advisor
Fisheries and Oceans Canada,
Pacific Region
604-666-2872
