ROCKY HARBOUR, NL - Mr. Harrison Hynes of Cow Head was fined $2,000 on November
13, 2007 in Rocky Harbour Provincial Court for exceeding the daily limit of five
groundfish during the recreational cod fishery. He was also fined $1,000 for possessing
cod caught in contravention of the Atlantic Fishery Regulations and prohibited from
coastal waters for three years.
On August 2, 2007, while conducting a vessel patrol in the Cow Head area, fishery
officers from the Rocky Harbour Detachment observed a boat with one male onboard
enter the harbour and proceed to the wharf. The individual exited the boat and proceeded
to leave the area on foot. An inspection of the vessel revealed 36 Atlantic cod,
which were seized by fishery officers and later forfeited to the Crown.
L’Anse Au Clair
Mr. Norman Letto of L’Anse au Clair was fined $750 on November 14, 2007 in L’Anse
au Clair Provincial Court for exceeding the daily limit of five groundfish during
the recreational cod fishery and prohibited from recreational fishing for two years.
His catch was forfeited to the Crown.
The violation was observed on August 31, 2007 during a stakeout by fishery guardians
from the St. Anthony Detachment. When approached by the fishery guardians, Mr. Letto
fled the area. The guardians retrieved a bucket containing 12 cod.
Plum Point
Mr. Gerald Genge of Anchor Point was fined $1,500 on November 26, 2007 in Plum
Point Provincial Court for failing to return to the ocean undersized Atlantic halibut.
He was also fined $500 for failing to release crab caught while fishing groundfish.
The halibut was forfeited to the Crown and the crab was returned to the ocean.
A fishery officer from the Rocky Harbour Detachment and a fishery officer from
the Quebec Region, on patrol in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, apprehended Mr. Genge
on June 7, 2007 following an inspection of the vessel ‘Breaker Point’.
Port au Choix
Mr. Robert Rumbolt of Castor River South received a total fine of $700 on November
27, 2007 in Port au Choix Provincial Court for offloading Atlantic cod prior to
contacting a dockside observer, failing to complete his groundfish logbook prior
to landing and unlawful possession of cod fish that was processed to a point whereby
the weight could not be readily determined.
These violations were detected on July 11, 2007 by fishery officers from Port
au Choix who were monitoring the commercial cod fishery near New Ferolle. During
this time, Mr. Rumbolt was observed offloading five fish pans of iced fish from
his vessel onto the wharf without a dockside observer present. Further inspection
revealed his groundfish logbook was not completed prior to landing and one of the
fish pans contained processed cod fillets.
Fishery regulations require that fish be in an unprocessed state when offloaded
at dockside.
Seal harvest violations
Mr. Lindsay Small of Grand Falls-Windsor was fined $500 on November 26, 2007
in Plum Point Provincial Court for hunting seals during a closed time. On April
12, 2006, Mr. Small’s vessel ‘Green Isle’ was seen actively participating in the
hunt inside seal fishing area 11, which was closed at the time. He was initially
observed by surveillance plane and later that same day by fishery officers from
the St. Anthony Detachment on patrol by helicopter.
Fishing gear violations
Mr. Jarvis House of River of Ponds was fined $1,000 on November 27, 2007 in Port
au Choix Provincial Court for unlawfully leaving fishing gear unattended in the
water for more than 72 consecutive hours. He was also prohibited from fishing Atlantic
cod during the first week of the 2008 commercial cod fishery.
On July 25, 2007 fishery officers from the Rocky Harbour office responded to
a complaint of gillnets being left in the water unattended for several days. An
investigation determined that the gillnets were unattended from July 13 - 25, 2007.
He also failed to notify Fisheries and Oceans Canada that he could not tend to his
gillnets.
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FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Sam Whiffen
Communications Officer
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
709-772-7631
