December 7, 2007
CORNER BROOK, NL Mr. Keith Pittman of Roddickton was fined $5,000 on November
29, 2007 on a number of fishing violations, including $4,000 for not having an activated
vessel monitoring system. In addition, a catch of snow crab valued at $10,892.00
was forfeited to the Crown.
On May 15, 2006, a fishery officer from the St. Anthony Detachment investigated
Mr. Pittman for catching snow crab in the wrong area.
A review of the vessel monitoring system revealed that Mr. Pittman's vessel the
‘Northern Provider' did not report its position to Fisheries and Oceans Canada from
May 12 - 15, 2006. The vessel monitoring system allows DFO, through satellite positioning technology,
to monitor the movement of vessels at all times while fishing.
Fishery officers boarded Mr. Pittman's vessel when he returned from a fishing
trip and were told a fuse had blown, making the system non-operational. Mr. Pittman
also reported catching his snow crab in 3KX and indicated this in his fishing log.
On May 18, 2006, fishery officers from the St. Anthony Detachment obtained a
warrant to search the ‘Northern Provider', where a copy of the vessel's computerized
navigational hard drive was retrieved. The hard drive revealed that Mr. Pittman
caught all his snow crab in area 4, about 90 miles East of St. Anthony and not in
area 3KX, some 210 miles Southeast of St. Anthony.
Fishery officers also found 400 pounds of snow crab hidden in the hold of Mr.
Pittman's vessel, which was later forfeited to the Crown.
-30-
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Susan Keough
Communications Officer
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
709-772-7628
