Antigonish (N.S.) – The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) today announced the latest court sentences imposed to fish harvesters for violating the fisheries regulations.
Mr. David D. Fraser – Lobster
Mr. Fraser of St. Margaret's Village, N.S., was sentenced in Baddeck Provincial Court on September 22, 2008, for having fished lobster without valid tags attached to traps and fishing with undersized escape mechanisms.
Fishery Officers from the Cheticamp Detachment laid charges under Section 62(1) of the Atlantic Fishery Regulations, 1985 and Section 22(7) of the Fishery (General) Regulations. Provincial Court Judge Peter Ross imposed fines totaling $3,000 as well as prohibiting Mr. Fraser from fishing lobster for the first two days of the 2009 lobster season in Lobster Fishing Area (LFA) 27. His lobster catch and eight traps were forfeited to the Crown.
Mr. William Francis MacKinnon – Snow Crab
On September 16, 2008, in Port Hood Provincial Court, Mr. MacKinnon of Bay St. Lawrence, N.S., pleaded guilty to fishing snow crab in an unauthorized area. Licensed to fish snow crab in Zone F, located in a portion of Crab Fishing Area (CFA) 12, Mr. MacKinnon had set traps in the closed buffer zone set between CFA 19 and Zone F.
Fishery Officers from the Cheticamp Detachment laid charges under Section 22(7) of the Fishery (General) Regulations. Provincial Court Judge Laurel Halfpenny MacQuarrie imposed a fine of $4,000 for illegal snow crab fishing.
Mr. Daniel Camus – Snow Crab
On October 16, 2008, in Port Hood Provincial Court, Mr. Camus of Cheticamp, N.S., pleaded guilty to fishing snow crab in a closed area. Mr. Camus, licensed to fish snow crab in CFA 19, had set traps in a portion of CFA 19 closed due to the presence of soft-shell crabs.
Fishery Officers from the Cheticamp Detachment laid charges under Section 52(a) of the Atlantic Fishery Regulations, 1985. Provincial Court Judge Laurel Halfpenny MacQuarrie imposed a fine of $3,000 for illegal snow crab fishing.
Mr. Guy Boudreau – Snow Crab
On October 16, 2008, in Port Hood Provincial Court, Mr. Boudreau of Cheticamp, N.S., pleaded guilty to fishing snow crab in an unauthorized area. Mr. Boudreau, licensed to fish snow crab in CFA 19, had set crab traps inside CFA 12.
Fishery Officers from the Cheticamp Detachment laid charges against him under Section 22(7) of the Fishery (General) Regulations. Provincial Court Judge Laurel Halfpenny MacQuarrie imposed a fine of $3,500 for illegal snow crab fishing.
Mr. Jacques Lefort and Mr. Jason Chiasson – Snow Crab
On October 10, 2008, in Port Hood Provincial Court, Mr. Lefort and Mr. Chiasson of Cheticamp, N.S., both pleaded guilty to charges of illegal snow crab fishing dating back to 2007.
Using the Vessel Monitoring System (VMS), Fishery Officers laid charges against them for hauling snow crab gear that belonged to another fish harvester, contrary to Section 56(1) of the Atlantic Fishery Regulations. Provincial Court Judge Laurel Halfpenny MacQuarrie imposed a $3,500 fine to each fish harvester.
Ms. Monica Augustine – Snow Crab
On October 16, 2008, in Port Hood Provincial Court, Ms. Augustine of Big Cove, N.B., pleaded guilty to fishing snow crab in a closed area. She had set snow crab traps in the closed one mile buffer zone between CFA 12 and CFA 19.
Fishery Officers from the Cheticamp Detachment laid charges under Section 7 of the Aboriginal Communal Fishing Licenses Regulations. Provincial Court Judge Laurel Halfpenny MacQuarrie imposed a fine of $3,000 for illegal snow crab fishing.
DFO is committed to the conservation and protection of aquatic resources in all Canadian waters, including the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence. Anyone wishing to report suspicious fishing activity is asked to contact their nearest DFO office.
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FOR MORE INFORMATION
Michel Thérien
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Moncton (N.B.)
506-851-7704
