NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR – A number of investigations carried out by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), Newfoundland and Labrador Region, have resulted in the following convictions:
In Springdale Provincial Court on September 4, 2008, Hayward Strickland of Pilley's Island was fined $400 for setting his herring bait net at a depth less than six feet. Regulations require that bait nets must be set in depths greater than six feet as a conservation measure to protect migrating Atlantic salmon.
Alex Lush of Triton was fined $400 for possessing illegal ammunition while seal hunting. Under marine mammal fishing regulations, it is illegal to use or possess shot ammunition. If using a shotgun when seal hunting, only single slug ammunition is permitted.
Shawn Batstone of Nippers Harbour appeared in provincial court at Baie Verte on September 10, 2008, for exceeding his 2007 capelin quota by 10,814 pounds. He was fined $500 and ordered to repay $1,730.34 - the value of his capelin quota overrun. Fishery officers discovered the infraction after a review of Mr. Batstone's 2007 landings.
On August 19, 2008, Mr. Edgar Brown of Summerford was convicted in Gander Provincial Court as a result of several fishing violations detected by DFO fishery officers during a patrol along the northeast coast of Newfoundland near Farewell. In June 2008, fishery officers uncovered a number of unmarked and unclearly marked lobster pots as well as pots illegally constructed with insufficient space between the wall slats to allow smaller lobster to escape. In addition, Mr. Brown was convicted for possession of v-notched lobsters and having illegally set bait nets. His fines totaled $1,900.
V-notching is a voluntary conservation program with the purpose of increasing lobster egg production for a sustainable fishery. Lobster harvesters cut a small v-shaped mark in the tail fan of every fourth egg-bearing female lobster caught and carefully return it to the ocean. It is illegal to keep a v-notched lobster.
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FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Sara Dunderdale
Communications Officer
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
(709) 772-7626
NR-NL-08-33E
